MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor has received some notice on the fringes of the Heisman Trophy discussion, but Badgers quarterback Alex Hornibrook said Taylor deserves more.

"I think he's as good as anybody there is," Hornibrook said.

"He's the best running back I've seen. I guess the extra stuff doesn't really matter. I think everybody is focused on what we're doing, and he is as well."

Taylor rushed 22 times for 126 yards and one touchdown to boost No. 5 Wisconsin to a 38-13 Big Ten win over Maryland on Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium. He also had one catch for 24 yards.

The Badgers (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) have earned their best start since a 7-0 mark in 2004.

Taylor has 144 carries for 1,012 yards and 11 touchdowns, tying the FBS freshman record for fewest games to reach the 1,000-yard milestone. He joined Emmitt Smith, Marshall Faulk, Adrian Peterson, Jamario Thomas and P.J. Hill as freshmen to hit the 1,000-yard mark in seven games.

Besides Taylor's talent, Hornibrook said the true freshman's maturity sets him apart.

"Physically the way he breaks tackles, the stuff everybody sees -- how he runs the ball is ridiculous," Hornibrook said. "Another thing is just his composure. He's just a freshman; people are talking and they get pulled in different directions and everything, but he's always locked in and ready to go."

It took little time for Wisconsin to score Saturday as junior linebacker T.J. Edwards scored on a 54-yard interception return less than three minutes into the game. Badgers outside linebacker Garret Dooley drilled Maryland sophomore quarterback Max Bortenschlager as he threw, and Wisconsin defensive end Alec James deflected the ball to set up Edwards' pick-six.

Wisconsin was sloppy, at times, on offense. Hornibrook threw one first-half interception, and Taylor fumbled on the Badgers' 5-yard line at the end of the first quarter. Terps junior safety Darnell Savage Jr. recovered Taylor's fumble, and Henry Darmstadter kicked a 23-yard field goal to cut Wisconsin's lead to 7-3 at 14:52 of the second quarter.

Maryland coach DJ Durkin said the best way to contend against a team like Wisconsin is to take advantage of turnovers, but with a defense as good as the Badgers' unit, that was a tough task. The Terrapins (3-4, 1-3) struggled with communication in third-down situations, finishing 5 of 14 in third-down opportunities. The Badgers were 8 of 13 in such situations.

"It was a different breakdown every time. We're not doing that well," Durkin said. "We were in the game. We've got to convert and finish drives. We didn't have to play a perfect game. We never feel we have to be perfect. If we get off the field on third down on defense, it's a different ball game."

Taylor had a 3-yard touchdown run and Wisconsin tight end Zander Neuville caught an 8-yard TD pass to boost Wisconsin's lead to 21-3 heading into halftime.

Hornibrook connected with A.J. Taylor on an 18-yard TD pass to pad the lead to 28-3 with 11:15 to go in the third quarter.

The Terps strung together an 11-play, 73-yard scoring drive for their first touchdown as Bortenschlager threw a 10-yard strike to wide receiver Taivon Jacobs at 6:50 of the third quarter to make it 28-10.

Maryland pulled within two scores at 28-13 on a 25-yard field goal by Darmstadter.

Bortenschlager completed 13 of 30 passes for 125 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Senior running back Ty Johnson had 16 carries for a team-leading 83 rushing yards.

Hornibrook showed composure against the Terrapins, shaking off the interception as Wisconsin scored on three of its four drives after the miscue. The Badgers had TD drives of 70-plus yards over the second and third quarters to take control of the game.

Hornibrook completed 16 of 24 passes for 225 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception.

"Obviously that's a really good football team we played, give them credit," Durkin said. "They made the plays when they had to."

NOTES: Senior TE Troy Fumagalli was Wisconsin's leading receiver with seven catches for 83 yards. ... The Badgers were one of eight undefeated FBS teams heading in Saturday's games. ... Maryland junior WR DJ Moore was coming off career highs with a 12-catch, 210-yard performance against Northwestern. The Badgers held Moore to three catches for 44 yards. He averaged 14.2 yards per carry and 104 yards in the Terps' first six games.