Sat Oct 6 16:26:52 2007

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Mendenhall leads way as Illini halt Wisconsin's win streak

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Champaign, IL (Sports Network) - Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 160 yards and two touchdowns and Isiah Williams threw for 121 yards and ran for 92 more, as the two offensive stars catapulted Illinois past fifth-ranked Wisconsin, 31-26, snapping the Badgers' nation-best 14-game winning streak.

Mendenhall ran for a staggering 8.4 yards per carry and Williams tossed a touchdown pass for the Fighting Illini (5-1, 3-0 Big Ten), who handed Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema just his second loss with the Badgers.

His only other loss came on September 23, 2006 against Michigan.

Tyler Donovan was the offensive star for Wisconsin (5-1, 2-1), throwing for 392 yards on 27-of-49 passing with two touchdowns and two interceptions. P.J. Hill was held in check for the most part, rushing for 83 hard yards on 21 carries. Lanky tight end Travis Beckum hauled in 11 passes for 160 yards in defeat.

After a three-and-out to start, the Illinois offense got into a steady rhythm during its second possession. The two big play makers -- Mendenhall and Arrelious Benn -- each were a focal point of the series. Benn slashed through the middle for seven yards and caught an out pass for five more later in the drive. Mendenhall took a handoff from the shotgun and patiently carved through the defense for 26 yards to the Badgers 37-yard line and later sprinted down the right sideline and into the end zone from 32 yards out for a 7-0 edge.

Illinois went back to work early in the second quarter, extending its advantage to 10-0. Williams' 26-yard connection to Benn proved to be the big strike in the 10-play, 42-yard march that ended with Jason Reda's 50-yard field goal.

The Fighting Illini again went right through the Wisconsin defense on their next series, marching 75 yards on seven plays to paydirt. A screen pass to Mendenhall for 15 yards preceded a 15-yard sprint by the running back. Williams then threw a dart to Benn for 11 yards and a 31-yard completion to Russ Weil to the Badgers five-yard line then Mendenhall ran tough for the five-yard score.

Trailing 17-0, the Badgers offense finally started to generate points. Donovan found his big tight end Beckum for 40 yards to the Illini 25-yard line, but the march eventually stalled at the 21-yard line. Taylor Mehlhaff booted a 38-yard field goal to get Wisconsin on the board with 3:52 to play in the half.

After stifling Illinois' next drive, the Wisconsin offense went back to work. Donovan worked the sideline to Hill for 11 yards and Kyle Jefferson for 17 yards. Again, the march stalled before the end zone, and Mehlhaff connected from 26 yards away.

Mendenhall rushed for 100 yards in the first half, totaling 133 yards rushing and receiving on 13 touches (nine carries, four receptions).

The Badgers offense continued its efficient approach early in the third quarter, this time resulting in a touchdown. An 81-yard drive included a pair of third-down conversions, including a 19-yard toss to Beckum on 3rd-and-10 from their own 30-yard line. Later in the march, Donovan found a streaking Kyle Jefferson wide open down the seam for a 43-yard touchdown and a 17-13 game.

The Fighting Illini answered right back with a nine-play, 72-yard march and another score. Williams took the snap and rushed around the right end for 24 yards on the first play, and rushed for the identical yardage around the opposite end later in the march. Mendenhall wasn't denied from the five-yard line, breaking several arm tackles on this way to the end zone.

In a back-and-forth third quarter, Wisconsin stormed back with another touchdown on its next possession. The nine-play, 78-yard drive was highlighted by a test of wills inside the 10-yard line. It took Hill three tries from the six-yard line, but he finally crossed the line from one-yard out with 1:30 left in the stanza. Wisconsin went for two points in an attempt to cut the deficit to a field goal, but the try failed.

Illinois extended its lead with 5:28 remaining in the fourth on Eddie McGee's five-yard burst, and Wisconsin cut the deficit to 31-26 late in the fourth on Donovan's second touchdown toss, this one a nine-yard strike to Garrett Graham.

The Badgers then attempted on onsides kick, but the Fighting Illini recovered to preserve the upset.

Game Notes

Illinois holds the all-time series lead 36-33-7 and snapped Wisconsin's four- game winning streak in the series...Wisconsin had won five of six in Champaign...Hill was held about 50 yards below his 133.4-yard average on the ground...The Fighting Illini, who entered the game averaging a Big Ten best 255.6 yards per game on the ground, rolled up 289 rushing yards on 44 carries...Wisconsin racked up 519 total yards to 410 for Illinois.