TAMPA, Fla. -- Whenever senior quarterback Tyler Donovan has needed him, tight end Travis Beckum has almost always been there this season.

But when Donovan needed Beckum the most on Tuesday in the 21-17 loss to Tennessee in the Outback Bowl, he couldn 't find him.

It happened on a fourth-and-2 play from the Tennessee 10 in the fourth quarter, with the Badgers looking for the go-ahead touchdown.

Donovan rolled to his right on what is called a flood route, designed to go to either Beckum or receiver Paul Hubbard. Both of them were covered, so Donovan ran all the way across the field to his left.

At some point, it looked like Beckum was open in the middle of the end zone, but Donovan couldn 't find him. So, Donovan motioned to running back P.J. Hill, who was a couple of yards in front of him, to go toward the end zone.

"I was trying to work (Hill) out so the defender would come up to me, so I could just throw it over his head," Donovan said. "Obviously, they did a good job and the guy got on me pretty quick."

The defensive player crashed into Donovan, whose pass sailed out of bounds. After the play, a frustrated Beckum took off his helmet and threw it to the ground with both hands while walking back to the bench.

"I thought I was (open)," Beckum said. "I always think I'm open, though. It was just a frustrating play."

It was a frustrating day for the All-American Beckum, who was held to a season-low two catches for 22 yards. His only game with fewer receiving yards this season was when he had 18 against Iowa.

The Volunteers managed to do what few defenses have accomplished and that was make Beckum a non-factor. Beckum clearly grew frustrated as the game went along.

"I know he was frustrated," UW coach Bret Bielema said. "I grabbed him at halftime. ... When you're a big playmaker and you don't get a chance to make those (plays), it does get frustrating."

Beckum didn't have a ball thrown to him in the first half. His first catch was a 9-yarder while lying on the ground on third-and-11 in the fourth quarter, setting up the failed fourth-and-2. Beckum also had a 13-yard reception on the final drive.

The Volunteers used a cornerback and a safety to bracket Beckum. They also used a defender to "spy" him for the crossing routes on which he has caught so many balls.

"I guess the looks just weren't there," Beckum said. "Other guys were open. They did a lot of triple-covering and double-covering, but then that's just time for our other players to step up and make plays."

The only one to do that consistently in the passing game was tight end Garrett Graham, who caught seven passes for 75 yards.

Beckum showed his frustration with Donovan at a recent bowl practice, screaming at him to "throw the ball" after Donovan took off running.

But Beckum said it comes from wanting to win so badly, not because he wants to add to his statistics. Beckum tied the school record of 75 receptions in a season, set by Lee Evans in 2001.

"I never like to be down, I never like to lose," Beckum said. "I'm a competitor. I just hate being down."