Wisconsin @ Illinois preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 25, 2008 ) Illinois 17, Wisconsin 27

THE STORY: After back-to-back late-game defeats against Michigan State and Ohio State, No. 13 Wisconsin has won two straight games to remain in the Big Ten Leaders division race. The Badgers, who began the season 6-0, are one game back of Penn State with two games to play. Those two teams will meet in the final week of the season at Camp Randall Stadium, a game that figures to have major implications. But before then, Wisconsin will need to knock off reeling Illinois first. The Illini have lost four straight after a 6-0 start, including two at home. Wisconsin has won two of the last three in the series, but lost 31-26 the last time it visited Champaign, back in 2007.

TV: ESPN2 Line: Wisconsin -15

ABOUT NO. 13 WISCONSIN (8-2, 4-2 Big Ten): Montee Ball had 166 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Wisconsin’s 42-13 victory over Minnesota last week, and in the process, he set the Big Ten’s single-season touchdown record. Ball, a a junior running back, has racked up 27 touchdowns on the year and has had two or more in every game. Meanwhile, the Badgers’ defense turned in one of its best efforts of the season. The defense held Minnesota to just 156 total yards, and both of the Gophers’ touchdowns came on special teams plays.

ABOUT ILLINOIS (6-4, 2-4 Big Ten): The topic of discussion in Champaign has shifted toward Ron Zook’s job status now that the Illini have gone nearly a month without a win, and the seventh-year coach didn’t want to address the topic at his weekly press conference. Zook’s Illini have scored just 42 points in their four consecutive defeats, which is just one more point than they had in their sixth win — a 41-20 victory over Indiana on Oct. 8. Defensively, Illinois hasn’t fared much better, as it allowed a season-high 223 rushing yards in last week’s 31-14 home loss to Michigan.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Illinois has lost three straight home finales, including seven of the last nine.

2. Wisconsin has won five of the last six games against the Illini, including a 27-17 home victory in 2008.

3. Badgers quarterback Russell Wilson has thrown a school-record 25 touchdowns.

PREDICTION: Wisconsin 31, Illinois 10 - The Badgers have more to play for and should win comfortably against an Illini team that’s headed in the wrong direction.