West Lafayette, IN (SportsNetwork.com) - Melvin Gordon rushed for 205 yards and a touchdown and No. 25 Wisconsin beat Purdue 34-16 on Saturday.

Joel Stave passed for 219 yards and two touchdowns in the win, most of it in the first half as the Badgers (7-2, 4-1 Big Ten) played their first game as a ranked team in over a month.

They overcame a shaky start to the second half, which included Gordon's fumble and failed fourth-down run and a near-onside kick recovery by the Boilermakers after Austin Appleby's 79-yard touchdown pass to Akeem Hunt got them within 24-16.

Appleby passed for 204 yards for Purdue (3-7, 1-5), which has lost three in a row. Paul Griggs kicked three field goals in the loss, including two over 50 yards.

The Badgers have beaten Purdue nine straight times, including six in a row in West Lafayette.

After dropping out of the ranking following a loss to Northwestern on Oct. 4, Wisconsin held Maryland to a season-low seven points and handed Rutgers its first shutout in 12 years, moving to No. 2 in the nation in scoring defense.

The offense nearly coughed up the lead in this one when a fumble and failed fourth-down conversion led to 10 points for Purdue early in the third quarter, trimming the Badgers' 24-6 halftime lead.

Gordon lost the ball on the first play from scrimmage, leading to Griggs' 52- yard field goal. Gordon was then stopped on a 4th-and-1 try at the Purdue 16 and Appleby connected with Hunt on a 79-yard touchdown three plays later to get the Boilermakers within 24-16.

It nearly got worse for Wisconsin when a surprise onside kick was recovered near the sideline by Purdue's Raheem Mostert. But the play was reversed after a replay review.

Boilermakers safety Landon Feichter later intercepted Stave at the Purdue 15, but they punted and Tanner McEvoy gave Wisconsin a 31-16 lead with a 13-yard touchdown run to cap a four-play drive.

Rafael Gaglianone's 31-yard field goal capped a 12-play drive to open the fourth quarter and made it 34-16 Wisconsin.

Earlier, Griggs kicked a 40-yard field goal on Purdue's first drive, but Gordon's 14-yard touchdown run later in the first put the Badgers on top for good.

After Griggs nailed a 53-yarder on the first play of the second quarter, Gaglianone made a 24-yarder for Wisconsin. Stave's 27-yard touchdown pass to Gordon later in the second made it 17-6 and his 9-yard throw to Alex Erickson gave the Badgers a 24-6 lead at halftime.

Game Notes

Stave passed for 190 yards in the first half ... Wisconsin faces current No. 15 Nebraska next week ... After a bye week, Purdue plays Northwestern on Nov. 22 ... Purdue's last win against Wisconsin was Oct. 18, 2003. It hasn't beaten the Badgers at Ross-Ade Stadium since Oct. 18, 1997.