I counted three reverses/end-arounds/"fly sweeps"; two went for >10 yards and one got stuffed, but the one that got stuffed the tackler got hurt and knocked out of the game.

I understand why they went for the tie - OSU did virtually nothing once they got past midfield. Plus Ball had just gotten stuffed from 1 yard out. The Badgers defense had held OSU to 7 points and a little over 200 total yards, so I see a very legit reason to trust their defense.

Once again it came down to three plays - two on special teams (punt return for TD, missed FG) and one on the officials (blown pass interference call that would have given UW a first down at or inside OSU's 20 yard line and a potential FG instead of punting). Perhaps the non-fumble call on UW was a makeup call for the PI no-call, but once again UW dominated OSU in the statistics columns but comes up short due to special teams.

The fly sweep/end-around isn't the only play - I've also mentioned the roll-out and throw back to the TE which they have put in their back pocket too, maybe because Stave has the arm strength to do it and Phillips/O'Brien do not, and the TE screen is another play they have had success with in past years but have only seen once or twice this year. But I've keyed on that play because it has been so successful - I only recall it being stuffed twice, and it almost always gets a first down if not well over 10 yards.

The fly sweep is a critical play for the Badgers because of the lack of a passing QB this year; they didn't need it last year because of Wilson's arm (and legs, and having two deep-threat WRs in Toon and Abbrederis). If teams key on Ball and crash the box with their OLBs and safeties then the play is wide open to the outside for a big gain. If UW runs the play consistently and breaks a few then the OLBs have to stay home and the safeties can't crash the box, opening up the inside run.

The proof is in Ball's YPC - the games where they didn't run it (Nebraska, Michigan State, Penn State, and the first three games of the season) were the games where Ball had his lowest YPC.