Illini get noticed in polls

Somewhere in the midst of Illinois' raucous postgame celebration Saturday, Ron Zook presented the game ball to athletic director Ron Guenther.

It served as a lasting memento of Illinois' first victory over a top-five team since 1989. However, it wasn't quid pro quo for the nice raise Guenther soon will hand to Zook.

Zook, whose original four-year deal runs out after the 2009 season, expects to have a contract extension in the near future.

"Coach Guenther and I have talked," Zook said. "The way I understand it, I'm going to have the opportunity to be here for a long time -- and that's what I want."

And why not?

After five-plus seasons out of the Associated Press' Top 25 poll, the Illini showed up at No. 18 in the writers' poll on the strength of their five-game winning streak.

Illinois also checked in at No. 19 in the ESPN/USA Today and Harris Interactive polls, the ones that feed into the Bowl Championship Series formula.

And since two of the six computer ratings show the Illini in the top 10 -- Sagarin ranks them at No. 7 and Colley at No. 9 -- they're definitely one of the teams in the BCS mix.

Provided, of course, they keep winning.

"Any time you're ranked, it's an honor," Zook said. "It's a privilege. But it doesn't mean anything until it's over. None of our goals have been met yet."

If the Illini win at Iowa on Saturday (11 a.m., ESPN2), they'll be bowl-eligible for the first time since the 2001 season.

Illinois' chances to earn its first win at Kinnick Stadium since 1999 received a boost Sunday when Zook provided a positive health report.

Freshman receiver Arrelious Benn, who appeared to dislocate his right shoulder Saturday for the second time in eight weeks, apparently only suffered a sprain and will be available.

"Yes," Zook said. "Yes."

Quarterback Juice Williams (hyperextended knee), safety Justin Harrison (back), slot receiver Brian Gamble (ankle) and backup corner Chris Duvalt (shoulder) also are expected to face the Hawks.

But even if they weren't, somehow Illinois would feel like it was in good shape as long as junior running back Rashard Mendenhall was available.

Mendenhall's rise toward the top of the NCAA stat charts -- and the NFL's draft charts -- continues to be one of the Illini's primary success indicators.

His 772 rushing yards rank No. 7 nationally, while his 12 touchdowns are tied for fifth.

And if it looked like Mendenhall has run with extra fervor the last two weeks against Penn State and Wisconsin, credit some non-words of wisdom from ESPN analyst Robert Smith.

The former Ohio State and Minnesota Vikings standout suggested in the days leading up to the Penn State game that Mendenhall wasn't a tough runner, or words to that effect.

That didn't sit well with anyone in an Illini uniform.

"All that did was hype us up," said senior safety Kevin Mitchell. "I was glad he said it. That was a slap in the face. I couldn't believe he said that. I guess he hasn't watched film. He supposedly knows what's going on, but I guess he doesn't."

Mendenhall acted more reserved than Mitchell but not any less hurt.

"People told me about it," Mendenhall said. "It did set a fire off in me, somebody saying something like that. It definitely sets a fire in you. I really can't get into that."

But that's not the main reason Mendenhall only figures to improve as Illinois' fine season rolls along.

"I don't know if too many people know," he said, "even, like, my sophomore and freshman year, I wasn't really out there that much."

Mendenhall rushed just 126 times for 858 yards in his first two seasons.

"So every game, I'm out there learning," Mendenhall said. "I'm learning every game and I feel like I'm getting better every game."