Oct. 29, 2005

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - Illini quarterback Tim Brasic was 20-of-39 for 277 yards and two touchdowns. He also carried the ball 16 times for 116 yards, leading his team in rushing for the third time this season, but it wasn't enough, as Illinois' missed opportunities and mistakes on special teams contributed to No. 15 Wisconsin's 41-24 Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.

Meanwhile, the Badgers' Brian Calhoun ran for 197 yards and five touchdowns as No.his team kept at least a share of the Big Ten Conference lead.

The workhorse running back carried the ball 35 times, his fourth game this season with more than 30 carries. He also caught two passes for 37 yards.

Wisconsin (8-1, 5-1) entered the game tied with No. 11 Penn State atop the conference standings. Illinois (2-6, 0-5) lost its sixth straight game despite gaining a season-high 538 yards.

Illinois' freshman receiver Kyle Hudson caught 10 passes for 114 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Wisconsin quarterback John Stocco was 14-of-22 for 225 yards and one TD as the Badgers finished with 464 yards.

The Illini battled back from a 13-0 first-quarter deficit to cut Wisconsin's lead to 13-10 with 7:42 to go in the first half, but the Badgers responded with a 51-yard drive leading to Calhoun's second TD of the day and a 20-10 halftime lead.

A blocked punt by Jonathan Casillas early in the third quarter helped Wisconsin put the game out of reach. Calhoun scored on a 6-yard run two plays later to put the Badgers up 27-10.

The Illini cut Wisconsin's lead to 10 points twice after that, but Wisconsin responded both times with touchdowns on their next possession. Illinois also had two drives stalled by penalties.

Calhoun rushed for 97 yards before halftime, including 53 on nine carries during Wisconsin's first drive of the game. That 80-yard, 11-play march without a pass ended with Calhoun's first touchdown.

The Badgers got the ball back four plays later and ran Calhoun four straight times before Stocco found Brandon Williams wide open across the middle on third-and-6 for a 62-yard TD pass.

But the Illini came back behind Brasic, who threw a 61-yard screen pass to fullback Jason Davis to set up a 5-yard TD pass to tight end Melvin Bryant late in the first quarter and converted two third-down plays during a 13-play, 64-yard second-quarter drive that led to a 23-yard field goal by Jason Reda that cut Wisconsin's lead to 13-10.

Pierre Thomas scored on a 3-yard run in the third quarter for Illinois.