Wisconsin escapes on late TD

LAS VEGAS -- Tyler Donovan scored on a 29-yard bootleg with 1:53 to play, and No. 5 Wisconsin held on for a 20-13 victory over UNLV Saturday night.

UNLV, a 4-touchdown underdog, took a 13-12 midway through the fourth on a 25-yard field goal by Sergio Aguayo.

But Donovan, the senior quarterback who won the starting job in summer practice, led the Badgers on a 10-play, 61-yard drive to avoid the upset.

On the decisive score, he faked a handoff to P.J. Hill and outraced a pair of defenders to the end zone.

Donovan completed 14 of 26 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown, a 3-yard strike to Garrett Graham on the first play of the second quarter.

Hill led Wisconsin with 147 yards on 20 carries.

Freshman quarterback Travis Dixon was 23-of-36 for 258 yards and a touchdown for UNLV (1-1). His 3-yard scoring strike to Casey Flair at 3:13 of the first quarter gave the Rebels a 7-0 lead.

Taylor Mehlhaff had a pair of field goals for the Badgers. His 25-yarder at the end of the first half gave Wisconsin a 9-7 lead. His other was a 51-yarder in the third quarter.