Minnesota @ Wisconsin preview

Minnesota at Wisconsin

Last Meeting ( Nov 12, 2011 ) Wisconsin 42, Minnesota 13

Wisconsin looks to continue its recent dominance against Minnesota when the border rivals meet for the 122nd time - the most-played rivalry in the FBS. The Badgers are shooting for their third straight win overall and to keep control in the Big Ten Conference Leaders Division. Wisconsin has won eight straight against Minnesota and will also put its 20-game home winning streak at Camp Randall Stadium on the line. The Badgers' home streak is second in the nation, trailing only LSU's 21. The Golden Gophers have dropped two straight Big Ten games while averaging only 13 points per game in those losses after starting the year 4-0.

TV: 12 p.m. ET, ESPNU. LINE: Minnesota -17.5

ABOUT MINNESOTA (4-2, 0-2 Big Ten): Coach Jerry Kill returned to the team earlier this week after being hospitalized following last week's loss to Northwestern with a seizure suffered after the game. Kill is expected to be on the sideline. All-purpose quarterback MarQueis Gray, who returned to the lineup last week after knee and ankle injuries kept him out of the Iowa game, reinjured his ankle against Northwestern and is questionable. If Gray plays, he may see more action at wide receiver because of injuries to two of the Gophers' top three wide receivers - Devin Crawford-Tufts and Isaac Fruechte, who are also questionable. Gray, who caught 42 passes for 587 yards and five touchdowns in 2010 as a wide receiver, played quarterback the entire 2011 season.

ABOUT WISCONSIN (5-2, 2-1): Senior running back Montee Ball was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after a career-high 247 yards rushing and three touchdowns in the Badgers' 38-14 victory at Purdue last week. Ball, who has 62 career touchdowns, needs seven to become the NCAA's all-time leader. A Heisman finalist last year, Ball has rushed for 816 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 4.7 per carry. Wisconsin compiled 645 yards of total offense, the second-highest amount in school history in the rain at Purdue, and rushed for 467 yards, the fifth-highest single-game total. The Badgers are averaging 455.7 yards and 32 points per game in three conference games. Wisconsin, which led the nation in fewest penalties the past two seasons, is fourth in the FBS this year, averaging 4.3 per game.

1. Minnesota leads the series 58-55-8. Wisconsin is averaging 39.3 points per game during the current eight-game winning against the Gophers with an average margin of victory of 15.5.

2. The Badgers are third in the Leaders Division with a 2-1 mark, trailing Ohio State (3-0) and Penn State (2-0). Wisconsin, though, is in the drivers seat for the division title because Ohio State and Penn State, due to NCAA sanctions, are ineligible for the Big Ten championship game. The Badgers lead winless Purdue (0-2), Indiana (0-3) and Illinois (0-3)

3. Minnesota has not won a Big Ten road game under Kill and will look for its first conference victory away from Minneapolis since winning at Illinois in November 2010.

PREDICTION: Wisconsin 41, Minnesota 17