MADISON, Wis. – Looks like Brian Sheard needs to work on his Mike Samuel impersonation.

All week, Illinois quarterback Sheard mimicked the Wisconsin starter in practice. He ran the option. He tucked the ball under. He played keepaway with the Illini defense.

MADISON, Wis. – Mop-up time at Wisconsin means Scott Kavanagh at quarterback.

Illinois starter Tim Lavery watched his high school rival go in midway through the fourth quarter. The two played against each other in Naperville. Lavery usually won.

MADISON, Wis. – Robert Holcombe never had a chance.

Coming off a school record four consecutive 100-yard games, the Illini senior from Mesa, Ariz., carried high hopes into Saturday's clash with Wisconsin's human bowling ball, Ron Dayne.

   MADISON, Wis.  Facing fourth down, inches short of his own 22-yard line in the second quarter Saturday, Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez drew cheers from the packed Camp Randall Stadium crowd when he recalled his punter and went for it.

   This wasn''t a grandstand play. No, what it did was tell you more than a 1,000 voices about the University of Illinois football program.

Any time a National Football League team's pregame news release talks about heart and effort, there's trouble.

The Denver Broncos boast about their undefeated season, and the lowly Arizona Cardinals rationalize their four losses by a total of 11 points.

MADISON, Wis. – No matter what happens today against Wisconsin, the Illinois football players and coaches know one thing: They aren't losing next week. It's guaranteed. No way. No how. It isn't going to happen.

MADISON, Wis. – When it came time to pick a college, Tony Simmons wanted to cross the line. The state line. The Chicago St. Rita star studied his choices and picked Wisconsin. He didn't bother visiting anywhere else.

If the grace period is not over, then it is late in thefourth with no timeouts left. Illinois has had five games – nearly half a season – to get things straight on the football field. By now the first-year coach and his first-year plans should be second nature to the players.