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In terms of records, there’s a big gap separating 17th-ranked Wisconsin (7-1, 4-1) and Illinois (2-6, 1-3). But in Big Ten rushing statistics, the schools rank 1-2. The Badgers average 196.2 yards per game, the Illini average 189.5. It’s the Illini’s highest average since 1978, when they averaged 198.7 yards. Despite the impressive ground game, ’78 wasn’t a very good year–Illinois wound up 1-8-2 overall, 0-6-2 in the Big Ten. . . . Pierre Thomas is the leading rusher, with an average of 65.2 yards per game, followed by Rashard Mendenhall at 55.5 per game. . . . Defensively, middle linebacker J Leman is leading the Big Ten and ranks ninth nationally with an average of 10.6 tackles per game.
