Media Credit: Brad Vest Illinois' Juice Williams, 7, celebrates with Rashard Mendenhall after he ran for a touchdown, putting Illinois up 21-3 on Minnesota, Nov. 3. Illinois won the game 44-17.

In an old-fashion shootout the Illinois football team outscored the Minnesota Gophers 44-17 on Saturday night to improve to 7-3 and 5-3 in the Big Ten this season.

Illinois set a season high for points and total yards in the game with 655, the third most yards in game in Illinois history. The Illini's 448 rushing yards were fifth most rushing yards in game in the school's history.

Junior running back Rashard Mendenhall's 64 yard and 34-yard touchdown runs gave him the single season touchdown record at Illinois, breaking former Illini running back Howard Griffith's 15 touchdowns in 1990.

Mendenhall's 203 yards on 17 carries moved him into Illinois' top 10 all-time rushing list, he now has 2,172 yards for his career and 1,316 yards on the season. He is 17 yards shy of breaking the school record for rushing yards in a season.

 DI multimedia

Illinois dominates Minnesota Gophers

Click to view an audio slideshow of the game.

Sophomores Juice Williams, Jeff Cumberland and Vontae Davis also had big games for the Illini.

Williams tied a career high for touchdown passes in a game with two in the first quarter. The Chicago native also ran for 133 yards and a touchdown.

Cumberland, playing wide receiver for the first time, set a career high for receptions and yards in the game, gaining 53 yards on four catches and a touchdown. Davis made his fourth interception of the season on the first play of the game, tying him with Kevin Mitchell for the team lead.

Senior place-kicker Jason Reda also kicked three field goals for Illinois en route to the Illini's fist win in Minnesota since 1994.

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