TAMPA, Fla. — Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Donovan couldn’t win Tuesday’s Outback Bowl. But he finished it.

That’s an accomplishment.

His stats were OK — 14 completions in 24 attempts for 155 yards, a 4-yard touchdown pass and a 6-yard touchdown run. But his crowning achievement was surviving a UT defense that punished him repeatedly in the first half.

The Vols sacked Donovan three times and almost knocked him out of the game more than once. He survived to talk about it.

“It was going to take a lot to keep me out of the game,” he said.

That was obvious.

Donovan took three really hard hits in the first half. The hardest were to his head and knee.

“That was a wicked hit in the end zone,” he said. “It was kind of head-to-head, and it rattled me a little bit. But I was able to get back in the flow of the game.”

That particular hit on the fifth-year senior quarterback was provided by UT freshman safety Eric Berry, who struck Donovan just as he was crossing the goal line on a first-quarter touchdown run.

Donovan’s next injury appeared more ominous. After being tackled by UT linebacker Jerod Mayo, Donovan had to leave the game. But he returned on the next series.

“My cleat kind of dug into the turf there,” Donovan said of his second-quarter mishap. “I tweaked my knee a little bit. I still felt like I was in a position to get out there and help my team.”

Slow Start A Killer: UT had 296 of its 431 yards and all 21 of its points in the first half.

Never mind how well the Badgers’ defense played in the second half. Their inept start was too much to overcome.

“I was really disappointed in the way our defense played in the first half,” linebacker Jonathan Casillas said. “We’ve got to keep this thought in the back of our heads: ‘If we start slow like this, we aren’t going to beat anybody.

“We didn’t make any scheme adjustments (in the second half). We just didn’t have that attitude and passion (in the first half). I don’t know why.”

Casillas said UT’s no-huddle offense contributed to their early problems on defense.

“It caught us off guard,” he said. “We haven’t seen it all year.”

UT quarterback Erik Ainge’s first-half execution was another problem for Wisconsin.

“He didn’t make mistakes,” Casillas said. “He showed he’s a four-year quarterback.”

Tight End Frustration: All-American tight end Travis Beckum was held to two catches for 22 yards. His frustration showed when Donovan was unable to get the ball to him on a fourth-down pass from the UT 10-yard line in the fourth quarter.

“I know he was frustrated,” Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said. “I grabbed him at halftime, and there was a time where he was very frustrated coming off the sideline.

“When you’re a big playmaker and you don’t get a chance to make those things, it can get frustrating.”

Tight End Surprise: Although UT shut down Beckum, it had a problem with the Badgers’ second tight end, Garrett Graham. The sophomore had a career day with seven catches for 75 yards.

Wisconsin’s third tight end also had a better afternoon than Beckum. Senior Andy Crooks scored on a 4-yard pass from Donovan in the second quarter.

That was his first touchdown catch of the season.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.