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Illinois tries to continue hot start at Iowa

Oct 13, 2007 - 10:48 AM No. 18 Illinois (5-1) at Iowa (2-4) 12:05 pm EDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (Ticker) -- Rashard Mendenhall and surprising Illinois see no reason to stop believing now.

Mendenhall and the 18th-ranked Fighting Illini look to remain perfect in Big Ten Conference play when they visit reeling Iowa on Saturday.

One week after downing then-No. 21 Penn State, 27-20, the Illini (5-1, 3-0 Big Ten) ended fifth-ranked Wisconsin's national-best 14-game winning streak with a 31-26 triumph last Saturday in Champaign.

Mendenhall rushed for 160 yards and two touchdowns for the Illini, who had won a total of one Big Ten game in coach Ron Zook's first two seasons with the program.

Illinois, which entered the rankings this week, has not started 3-0 in the Big Ten since 1990.

Iowa (2-4, 0-3) remained winless in Big Ten play with a 27-7 setback at Penn State last weekend.

Jake Christensen completed just 16-of-29 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown for the Hawkeyes, who were outgained by a whopping 489-194.

The Hawkeyes registered a 24-7 road win over the Illini last year. Iowa has won four straight in the series since a 31-0 loss in 2000.