Illinois playing its way up charts

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Last weekend’s upset of a top-25 team wasn’t enough to get Illinois ranked. Maybe this one will be.

Rashard Mendenhall and Juice Williams carried the surprising Illini to a 31-26 win over No. 5 Wisconsin in a Big Ten Conference game Saturday, ending the Badgers’ 14-game winning streak.

A week ago, Illinois beat then No. 21 Penn State 27-20, the school’s first win over a ranked opponent since 2001.

Mendenhall ran for 160 yards and two touchdowns, and Williams had 92 yards rushing as Illinois improved to 5-1 overall, 3-0 in conference.

The Badgers (5-1, 2-1) hadn’t lost since Sept. 16, 2006, at Michigan. It was only the second loss in 19 games for Coach Bret Bielema, who said the Illini played up to Wisconsin’s ranking.

“I think it has to do with we’re ranked No. 5 in the country and everybody wants to talk about why we shouldn’t be,” he said.

Whether that ranking was justified is another thing. The Badgers struggled to wins over Nevada Las Vegas, Iowa and Michigan State and were three-point underdogs against Illinois.

It looked as if Illinois was the better team most of the way. Mendenhall, the Big Ten’s third-leading rusher at better than 122 yards a game, had 100 by halftime, and his two touchdowns carried Illinois to a 17-6 lead.

“That guy’s got muscles,” Wisconsin cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu said. “He’s just a hard runner.”

The Illini didn’t pound the ball inside until late, relying instead on a no-huddle spread offense and the option.

“With our scheme and the playmakers we have out there, it’s hard for the defense to focus on just one person,” Mendenhall said.

Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Donovan threw two interceptions in Illinois territory, the first to safety Kevin Mitchell and the second to cornerback Vontae Davis.