Sept. 23, 2006

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -Mario Manningham's second touchdown catch put No. 6 Michigan ahead late in the third quarter and Mike Hart added a score to help the Wolverines overcome a sluggish start and beat Wisconsin 27-13 Saturday.

Michigan (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) finished strong - scoring 17 straight points - after it was 10-all, a week after its dominating victory at Notre Dame.

After taking the lead twice in the first half, the Badgers (3-1, 0-1) struggled the rest of the game.

Wisconsin's P.J. Hill, who entered the game averaging a Big Ten-best 138.3 yards rushing, was held to 54 yards on 20 carries against the nation's top-ranked run defense. He caught five passes for 64 yards, including a 29-yard reception that gave the Badgers a 7-0 lead.

The Badgers went 77 yards on a drive late in the fourth quarter, but stalled at the 8 and settled for Taylor Mehlhaff's field goal to pull within two TDs with 2:19 left. The ensuing onside kick went out of bounds, ending Wisconsin's comeback hopes.

Chad Henne was 18-for-25 for 211 yards, two TDs and three interceptions for the Wolverines. And for the second straight week, he connected several times with Manningham in the end zone. Last week, Manningham had three TD catches in a 47-21 win over Notre Dame.

Henne's 38-yard pass to Manningham gave Michigan a 17-10 lead with 3:11 left in the third quarter and ended an 0-for-8 drought on third down.

The Wolverines went ahead 24-10 early in the fourth on Hart's 5-yard run and had a 17-point lead on Garrett Rivas' second field goal. Hart had 91 yards on 23 carries.

Steve Breaston, who has the Big Ten record for punt return yards, had three punt returns of 20-plus yards that led to 17 points.

John Stocco completed 22 of 42 passes for 236 yards and a TD for the Badgers, who gave him time to throw early, but ended up allowing four sacks.

Allen Langford had two interceptions for Wisconsin. One was in the Badgers' end zone midway through the third quarter on an up-for-grabs pass intended for Manningham. The other came off Manningham's hands on the opening drive.

Hill ran for 23 yards on Wisconsin's first two plays and on a third-and-2, he turned a short reception into a 29-yard TD.

Henne's 24-yard pass to a leaping Manningham, who was draped by Langford, made it 7-all early in the second quarter. It was the first TD given up by Wisconsin's defense in 158-plus minutes, going back to the third quarter of its season opener against Bowling Green.

Mehlhaff put the Badgers ahead 10-7 midway through the second quarter with a 39-yard field goal.

Michigan's offense was lackluster again on the ensuing possession, but the got a break when punt returner Zach Hampton fumbled - giving the Wolverines the ball at Wisconsin's 18. Rivas' 31-yard kick made it 10-all.