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Minnesota will have to get over Hill at Wisconsin

Oct 10, 2006 - 9:06 PM Minnesota (2-4) at No. 25 Wisconsin (5-1), 12:00 pm EDT

MADISON, Wisconsin (Ticker) - Redshirt freshman P.J. Hill has wasted no time making an impact for Wisconsin and is likely to make another big one Saturday.

Fifth in the nation in rushing, Hill will lead the 25th-ranked Badgers against Minnesota in a Big Ten Conference matchup.

The teams are meeting for the 116th time in the most-played rivalry in Division I-A and will battle for ownership of the Paul Bunyan Axe, which has been awarded to the winner every year since 1948.

This matchup figures to be dominated by Hill, who is coming off a season-high 249 yards rushing in a 41-9 victory over Northwestern. The Gophers (2-4, 0-3 Big Ten) rank 98th out of 119 teams in rushing defense, surrendering 164.3 yards per game.

Hill, who is averaging 141.2 yards on the ground, has keyed an explosive offense for Wisconsin (5-1, 2-1) over the past two weeks. Since losing to Michigan, 27-13, on September 23, the Badgers have won two straight, scoring 93 points and racking up 1,066 yards in the process.

The Badgers also are getting it done with defense. Wisconsin is allowing 12.8 points per game, which ranks second in the conference and 13th in the country.

Minnesota has lost three straight, all to Big Ten foes, and is coming off a particularly painful 28-27 overtime setback to Penn State.

The Gophers got a one-yard TD run from Amir Pinnix with 1:02 to play in the fourth quarter to tie the game, 21-21, and scored on the first possession of overtime on a 25-yard TD pass from Bryan Cupito to Eric Decker. But Jason Giannini missed the extra point, and after Minnesota's Trumaine Banks was whistled for pass interference on what appeared to be the final play, Penn State answered with a two-yard TD run and extra point to win the game.

The teams have met every year since 1907 and Minnesota leads the series, 59-48-8. Wisconsin has gotten the better of the matchup lately, winning nine of the last 11 and five straight in Madison.

Last year, the Badgers rallied for a 38-34 win in which they scored two touchdowns in the final 2:10. Wisconsin produced the go-ahead touchdown after recovering a blocked punt in the end zone with 30 seconds left.