MADISON, Wis. — Darrion Dupree ran for 131 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries to lead Wisconsin to a 24-10 win over No. 21 Illinois on Saturday night.
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. It was his 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 (7-4, 4-4 Big Ten) finished with 298 total yards. Altmyer went 21 of 35 for 248 yards and added 20 rushing yards and a touchdown.
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 for a 4-yard TD that increased Wisconsin’s lead to 24-10.
The Badgers (4-7, 2-6 Big Ten) got on the scoreboard first on Vinny Anthony’s 6-yard run 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 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 on the drive.
Wisconsin leads the series 46-39-7.
The takeaway
Illinois: The loss snapped a two-game losing streak for Illinois and coach Bret Bielema, who was the Badgers coach from 2006-12. He led Wisconsin to three consecutive Rose Bowl appearances in seven seasons.
Wisconsin: Dupree’s 84-yard TD run was Wisconsin’s longest since an 89-yarder from 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: Home against Northwestern on Saturday.
Wisconsin: At Minnesota on Saturday.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/22/illinois-wisconsin-big-ten-football/



