No. 15 Wisconsin beats No. 11 Michigan State 42-39

Russell Wilson #16 of the Wisconsin Badgers looks to pass... — Russell Wilson #16 of the Wisconsin Badgers looks to pass in the first half under pressure from William Gholston #2 of the Michigan State Spartans during the Big 10 Conference Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium. (Dec. 3, 2011) Credit: Getty/Gregory Shamus

By The Associated PressDecember 3, 2011

INDIANAPOLIS — Montee Ball ran for three touchdowns including the decisive 7-yard score with 3:45 to go, leading No. 15 Wisconsin past No. 11 Michigan State 42-39 in the inaugural Big Ten championship game.

Wisconsin (11-2) is now headed to its second straight Rose Bowl.

Ball ran 27 times for 137 yards and caught a TD pass, giving him 38 touchdowns this season. That's one short of Barry Sanders' single-season record.

Russell Wilson was 17 of 24 for 187 yards with three TDs and no interceptions. He set a new NCAA record with a TD pass in his 37th straight game. Texas Tech's Graham Harrell had the previous mark of 36.

The Big Ten's first championship game made the idea of a conference title tilt seem like a good one.

Michigan State (10-3) rallied from a 21-7 first-quarter deficit to take a 29-21 halftime lead and still led 39-34 after Dan Conway's 25-yard field midway through the fourth quarter.

But Wilson and Ball answered with a score and a 2-point conversion.

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