Illinois Fighting Illini at Wisconsin Badgers

Darrion Dupree runs for 2 TDs, Wisconsin beats Illinois 27-10

Dupree became Wisconsin’s first 100-yard rusher this season.

Dupree scored on an 84-yard run, the Badgers’ longest play from scrimmage this season, to push Wisconsin's lead to 17-7 in the third quarter — Dupree's first touchdown of the season and second of his career.

Darryl Peterson had three of Wisconsin's five sacks of Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer. Illinois finished with 298 total yards.

Peterson talked to his teammates in the locker room at halftime and said he didn't want the Badgers to be complacent.

“I wanted us to keep that killer instinct,” Peterson said. “Let's finish them and we got them where we want them. Let's not be happy because we scored some touchdowns in the first half. We had a pretty good first half and I wanted to play a complete game, a four-quarter game. I think we did that tonight.”

Altmyer went 21 of 35 for 248 yards, and added 20 yards rushing and a touchdown on 13 carries.

Charlie Jarvis tackled the Illinois punter following a bad snap and Wisconsin took over at the 14.

Four plays later, Dupree took a direct snap and ran 4 yards for a TD run that increased Wisconsin's lead to 24-10.

The Badgers (4-7, 2-6 Big Ten) got on the scoreboard first as Vinny Anthony rushed 6 yards for a TD in the first quarter.

Nathanial Vakos kicked a season-long 47-yard field goal to give Wisconsin a 10-7 lead with 14 seconds left in the first.

The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for the Illini (7-4, 4-4, No. 21 College Football Playoff).

Illinois coach Bret Bielema said the Illini lacked consistency in the second half.

“Coming out in the second half, we actually made a defensive stop or two and I thought we get a stop and get our offense back out there, we'd be able to convert,” Bielema said. “But, we ended up doing things to shoot ourselves in the foot with a lack of composure, which is uncharacteristic of what we've done. It was very frustrating overall.”

The Badgers shaved 9:30 off the clock, going 80 yards in 16 plays, on their first-quarter scoring drive. Carter Smith went 4 for 4 for 40 yards during the drive, which was the Badgers’ longest scoring drive of the season.

Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell said Wisconsin's effort on offense was indicative of what he'd like to see the Badgers accomplish game after game.

“That is old school Wisconsin football,” said Fickell of the long first-quarter drive. “But then, to see a 75-, 80-yard run — those big plays — that not only generates momentum but gives your team a boost and make teams play you in a different way. That was a really good game for us tonight in all three phases."

Wisconsin leads the series 46-39-7.

The takeaway Illinois: Saturday's loss snapped a two-game losing streak for Illinois and Illini coach Bret Bielema, who was the Badgers’ coach from 2006-12. He led Wisconsin to three consecutive Rose Bowl appearances during those seven seasons,

Wisconsin: The 84-yard TD run for Dupree was Wisconsin’s longest since an 89-yard TD by Chez Mellusi in 2023. Dupree gave the Badgers their first 100-yard rusher since Tawee Walker’s 126-yard effort in Wisconsin’s 23-3 win against Northwestern last season.

Up next Illinois: The Illini host Northwestern next Saturday.

Wisconsin: The Badgers play next Saturday at Minnesota.