MADISON, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- Lee Evans set a school record with 258 receiving yards and matched a Big Ten Conference mark with five touchdown catches as Wisconsin halted a three-game losing streak with a 56-21 romp over No. 22 Michigan State.
Evans caught 10 passes from Jim Sorgi to help Wisconsin (7-4, 4-3) win for the first time since October 11, when it ended Ohio State's 19-game winning streak.
The 5-11 Evans had six more yards than former New York Jets wide receiver Al Toon had against Purdue in November 1983. Evans opened the scoring with a nine-yard catch just 3:38 into the game and gave the Badgers a 21-0 lead when he eluded three defenders for a 75-yard score with 4:21 left into the second quarter.
"It was definitely special," Evans said. "I mean I had a lot of fun out there. It probably is the best game I've ever played here. It is a big win for our team, it is a big win for our program. I am glad I could celebrate it with my teammates."
Backup Dwayne Smith provided the rest of the scoring for the Badgers, carrying 21 times for a career-high 207 yards and three TDs. Freshmen Booker Stanley started in place of Anthony Davis, but left in the first quarter with an ankle injury.
It marked the second time this season that Wisconsin had a 200-yard rusher and receiver. In a 48-31 win over Akron on September 6, Davis ran for 247 yards and Evans had 214 receiving yards. No other Big Ten team has accomplished the feat.
"I am very pleased with how our players responded today," Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez said. "I talked to them about having character and carrying on play with a passion. I knew they had character, I knew they'd compete. We've had some tough losses, but I was really proud of how they responded, how they executed on both sides of the ball."
Davis sat out for the fifth time this season with an ankle injury.
Sorgi completed 16-of-24 passes for a career-high 380 yards as Wisconsin won for the fourth time in the last five meetings with Michigan State. The Badgers recorded their highest point total since a 56-10 rout of San Jose State in September 1997.
Darrin Charles had three receptions for a career-high 89 yards for Wisconsin, which outgained Michigan State, 630-310.
"We got out tails kicked, right up between our shoulders," Michigan State coach John L. Smith said. "There's not much more I can say other than that. We weren't ready to play and I have to take credit for that. As a coaching staff, we have to prepare them."
Jeff Smoker threw two touchdown passes for Michigan State (7-4, 4-3), which has lost three straight games since winning at Minnesota on October 18.
The Badgers applied relentless pressure to Smoker, sacking him five times and intercepting him twice.
Smoker threw a 21-yard pass to Kyle Brown, cutting Wisconsin's lead to 21-7 with 2:51 left in the second quarter. But after the kickoff, Smith raced for 60 yards on first down to set up Evans' 18-yard TD as the Badgers took a 28-7 advantage into the locker room.
The Badgers scored on four straight possessions, including a catch-and-run by Evans for a 70-yard TD to make it 35-7 with 9:13 left in the third.
