Illinois is in for a potentially disappointing end to their homecoming celebrations as they welcome the University of Wisconsin football team to Champaign this weekend.

Wisconsin is on a roll this season, remaining one of the five teams that are still undefeated going into week nine. They are one of two Big Ten teams that are still undefeated, with Penn State joining the Badgers on their quest to remain undefeated this season.

Wisconsin football: The best coaches to have led the Badgers

The No.5 Badgers are coming off a big homecoming win against Maryland this past weekend, and are proving to be one of the toughest teams in the nation. A physically tough defense capable of creating some big plays when needed combined with a versatile offense that is difficult to stop has been proving to be too much of a challenge for opponents this season.

Although the Badgers have struggled during different moments of this season, they are showing signs of improvement with every week that passes, and are constantly looking for ways to keep improving. One of the most dangerous things for an undefeated team is the mentality that tends to overcome players, leading them to believe that everything is alright and there are no changes that need to be made.

Illinois is in for a quite the challenge this weekend, and even an excited homecoming crowd might not be enough to help them get a win against one of the best teams in the nation. To say that Illinois has been struggling lately is a bit of an understatement, as the Illini have not managed to gain a win in the last five weeks.

The Fighting Illini have called too many of the same opponents the Badgers have faced this season, including Nebraska. While their most recent game against Minnesota might have been separated by only one touchdown, many of Illinois’ games have led to some pretty major defeats for Illinois.

Illinois’ defense has been struggling to keep points off the board and have a habit of creating spaces in their formations that allow for running backs and wide receivers to slide right past them. With one of the best running backs, Jonathan Taylor, coming to Champaign this weekend, it doesn’t seem as though the Illinois defense is going to be able to hold back Taylor from racking up tons of running yards for UW.

What being a Badger means to me: Wisconsin football players reflect on being a Badger

While the Illinois offense is capable of scoring and making big plays, they have yet to be challenged by a defense as tough as Wisconsin. The UW defense is capable of not only holding of the teams at bay, but of also making big plays when opposing offenses are least expecting it.

Illinois is really going to have to step up this weekend if they want to walk away with a victory this weekend, but Wisconsin won’t back down easily. The two teams will face-off on the gridiron at 11 a.m., and Wisconsin fans can watch the Badgers live on ESPN.