Illini, in Georges first start, lost 41-8. They trailed 21-0 at the end

MADISON, Wis. -- For an encore to the upset victory over LSU, No. 10 Wisconsin will host Akron.This matchup doesnt have quite the same zip as a showdown against an SEC power. But the Badgers have vowed to stay focused , and to build on their big win with Big Ten play looming in a few weeks.You want to go into those games with as much momentum as possible, Wisconsin running back Corey Clement said.The two-week honeymoon period in the schedule starts on Saturday with the home opener at Camp Randall Stadium against the Zips, a Mid-American Conference team.Akron, which has been picked to finish third in the MAC East division, is coming off a 47-24 win over FCS school VMI in its opener last week. The Zips were the big-school target in that game.Now theyre looking to score a huge upset.We realize the monumental task we have, Akron coach Terry Bowden said.First off, the Zips will be challenged up front by the bruising Badgers defense, which outmuscled LSU in a 16-14 win in the season opener last week at Lambeau Field. For the most part, the front seven controlled the line of scrimmage in that game. Outside linebackers Vince Biegel and T.J. Watt disrupted the backfield.Wisconsin has held its last nine nonconference opponents at Camp Randall to an average of 5.6 points a game. The Zips are piecing together five new starters on the offensive line.The Badgers could get a little pushy on Saturday.When you play Wisconsin, youre going to be challenged physically in the trenches first, Bowden said.Other notes and things to watch as Wisconsin tries to win its 21st straight home opener:HOUSTONS ARMWisconsin senior quarterback Bart Houston had a so-so debut in his first collegiate start, going 19 of 31 for 205 yards against LSU. Houston showed some accuracy, but also threw two interceptions -- one returned for a touchdown, and another picked off in the end zone.Houston said he needs to improve while scrambling.Its sort of that fine line, coach Paul Chryst said. Its not so much the science of quarterbacking but the art of quarterbacking.ABOUT AKRONThe Zips finished 2015 at 8-5, its best record since becoming an FBS program in 1987. Akron also won its first bowl game as an FBS school, having beaten Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. But Akron returns just seven starters from that team.SPREAD IT OUTAkron quarterback Thomas Woodson was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week for the East Division after throwing for a career-high 407 yards and school record six touchdowns in the victory over VMI . Akrons spread offense will give the Wisconsin secondary a different test after facing LSUs big receivers last week. Chryst said the Badgers will have to play disciplined defense and stick to their assignments.BEEN THERE, DONE THATWhile he might have more than a dozen new starters, Bowden himself has a lot of experience in big games. Bowden has been to four bowl games in a 23-year career on the sideline. His father is former Florida State coach and Hall of Famer Bobby Bowden. Akron associate head coach and defensive coordinator Chuck Amato used to be a head coach at North Carolina State, as well as an assistant at North Carolina State.Youve got some coaches who have coached a lot of games, where were not in awe, Bowden said, and so I think the player sometimes feed off their coaches.MILESTONE MARKERClement carried a career-high 21 times for 86 yards and a score against LSU. He is 197 yards short of becoming the 16th player in Wisconsin history to rush for 2,000 yards, a mark that the speedster could very well reach either this week, or next week against Georgia State at home.---Online: AP College Football site: http://collegefootball.ap.org/---Follow Genaro Armas at: https://twitter.com/GArmasAP Nike Air Max Plus Tn Ultra Baratas .com) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to halt their longest losing streak of the season when they host the struggling New York Islanders in tonights clash at the Bell Centre. Vapormax 97 Baratas . 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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Looking at the schedule back in August, Michigan State-Illinois was not a game many people would have guessed would pit a pair of 2-6 teams against each other.When the teams meet on Saturday, theyll bring identical records to the field, along with losing streaks and injury problems that might make them look a lot alike.Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio and Illinois leader Lovie Smith even sound a little alike in diagnosing their seasons so far.Obviously, were not where we thought we would be at the beginning of the season, Dantonio said. We are playing a lot of young players, going through some injuries, different things of that sort.Smith offered similar thoughts on his team this week: We want our team to play to the best of its ability every week. That hasnt happened. ... Weve won two games. Thats who we are right now.Michigan State (0-5 Big Ten) and Illinois (1-4) have some key differences, too. Here are some things to keep an eye on when they meet Saturday:AT QUARTERBACK?Neither team is settled at quarterback.Illinois starter Wes Lunt hasnt played in almost a month and second-stringer Chayce Crouch is out for the season with a shoulder injury. Smith doesnt discuss injuries ahead of a game, but there is a chance that redshirt freshman Jeff George Jr. will see his third straight start. He was 16 of 34 for 56 yards and a touchdown in last Saturdays loss to Minnesota, modest numbers but an improvement from his first start at Michigan.The Spartans lost Brian Lewerke to a broken leg against Michigan, leaving them with fifth-year senior Tyler OConnor and junior Damion Terry.While Michigan State has an edge here in experience, Dantonio doesnt sound so sure.The quarterback position is a little bit in flux there, I would say. When the quarterback situation is in flux whether due to injury or production, you know, theres going to be inconsisttency, he said.ddddddddddddUN GAMESBoth Illinois and Michigan State rely on the run, and their production is remarkably similar -- the Illini average 163.1 yards a game, the Spartans 163 .But there are differences, and they favor MSU. The Spartans ran the ball for 217 yards last Saturday against Michigan, a defense thats giving up just over half that on average and is ranked second in the Big Ten. When Illinois went to Michigan two weeks ago, the Illini managed just 77 yards on the ground.MICHIGAN TESTOther aspects of their games against Michigan illustrate the differences between the two-win teams.The Illini, in Georges first start, lost 41-8. They trailed 21-0 at the end of the first quarter and were never in the game. The Spartans were down by 17 at halftime but pulled within a touchdown in the fourth quarter before falling 32-23.I think weve had an opportunity to win every single game weve played, Dantonio said.WHATS AT STAKEThe loser on Saturday will have no possibility for six wins, bowl eligibility and will finish with a losing season. For Illinois, it would the fifth losing season in a row. Michigan State hasnt had a losing season since 2009.LOVIES SITUATIONFormer NFL coach Smith is in his first season at Illinois, hired to rebuild the program. But he spent part of his week denying that there was any truth in an ESPN.com report based on anonymous sources that hes unhappy enough at Illinois to leave after a single season.Am I happy right now with where we are? No, no one on our football team is happy where we are right now, Smith said. My time in Champaign, its a little bit bigger that just where we are right now.---Follow David Mercer on Twitter: (at)davidmercerAP----More AP college football: www. collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '