Wisconsin Badgers vs Illinois Fighting Illini Match Player Stats On Nov 19, 2011

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 19, 2011

Montee Ball had a game-high 224 rushing yards and three touchdowns and Russell Wilson added the go-ahead score late in the third quarter as No. 13 Wisconsin came from behind to defeat Illinois 28-17 Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

With the win, the Badgers (9-2, 5-2 Big Ten) remain in control of their own destiny in the Big Ten Leaders division race. Wisconsin can secure a spot in the inaugural Big Ten championship game with a victory next week at home against Penn State.

Illinois (6-5, 2-5 Big Ten), which came into the game riding a four-game losing streak after a 6-0 start, took a 14-0 lead with 8:21 left in the second quarter on Donovonn Young’s second touchdown of the game, a 1-yard plunge up the middle.

But Wisconsin, which finished with a season-low 274 total yards, eventually found enough offense to get back in the game. The Badgers trailed 17-7 at the half but scored a pair of third-quarter touchdowns, including Wilson’s 1-yard touchdown run that gave them a 21-17 lead.

Then, after an Illinois turnover early in the fourth quarter, Wisconsin extended its lead to 28-17 on Ball’s 17-yard rushing touchdown.

Ball, who set the Big Ten single season touchdown record last week in Wisconsin’s 42-13 win over Minnesota, now has 30 scores on the season. He’s had at least two in every game and will have at least two more opportunities to add to his record.

Nathan Scheelhaase and Reilly O’Toole shared quarterback duties for the Fighting Illini, who lost their home finale for the eighth time in the last 10 tries. The signal-callers combined for three interceptions, with O’Toole responsible for two.

Wisconsin has defeated Illiniois six of the last seven times and is now within reach of its third straight 10-win season.