As expected, the Wisconsin Badgers are making life hard for the Illinois State Redbirds, and perhaps no play has summed up how wide the gap is in terms of talent between these two football programs than his ridiculous 96-yard touchdown by Wisconsin football running back Braelon Allen in the second period.

Braelon Allen is one of the best running backs not just in the Big Ten but in the nation, too. In his freshman year in Madison in 2021, He rushed for 1,268 yards and 12 touchdowns on 186 rushing attempts. He is easily the best option on the ground for the Badgers, who continue to rely heavily on his legs to gain yards. In 2021, Wisconsin football was fifth in the nation with a 63.98 rush play percentage and 18th overall with 210.8 rushing yards per game.

While he's not a heavy favorite to win the Heisman Trophy this season, Braelon Allen has a sleeper appeal in him. He definitely has made some noise with his performance so far against Illinois State, but it's when the schedule gets harder for Wisconsin football when the Badgers are going to need him to really deliver. After this assignment against the Redbirds, the Badgers will take on the Washington State State Cougars and the New Mexico State Aggies over the next two weeks before a major showdown against the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus.

Wisconsin football, ranked 18th in the preseason, entered the Illinois State game as a 37.5-point favorite.