Wisconsin will try for their fifth straight Big Ten title on Sunday while nationally ranked No. 6 Michigan and No. 7 Ohio State will battle the reigning champion.

The Illinois men's cross country team hopes to finish next in fourth place at the Big Ten Cross Country Championships on Sunday held in East Lansing, Mich.

"Wisconsin's been just unbelievably strong; they're usually unbeatable. I predict them probably winning it, Michigan second and Ohio State third," Illinois junior Tim Hobbs said. "Hopefully, we're going to be up there in fourth or fifth place. That's where we want to be and I think we can do that."

The Illini hope to continue their move up the conference that started with last season's eighth place finish. Before the move up to eighth, the Illini finished l0th in both 2000 and 2001. Only 10 men's teams compete in Big Ten cross country since Northwestern does not have men's cross country or track.

To continue the move up in the conference standings, the Illini will battle two nationally ranked teams in No. 19 Indiana and No. 30 Iowa. The other teams in the conference won't be walk overs for the Illini either. Minnesota and host school Michigan State both held spots in the United States Cross Country Coaches Association's preseason poll.

"The others we can compete with," Illinois cross country head coach Paul Pilkington said. "Minnesota and Iowa both went to NCAA's last year and Minnesota's got pretty much the same team back. If we get great races from everybody we will be in the thick of things. We should be in the thick of things with Minnesota, Iowa and Michigan State."

To be "in the thick of things" would be enough for Illinois sophomore Jason Bill. Bill finished 21st last year as a freshman running at Purdue for the Big Ten Championships.

At Michigan State this year, Bill will contend for a Big Ten individual title and more than likely earn All-Big Ten recognition as one of the conference's top 14 runners.

"He's going to be in the top group, somewhere in that mix," Pilkington said. "There will be a group of five or ten guys that all have a shot to win the meet and he will be in the hunt. There is no clear-cut standout favorite and those five to 10 guys are all potential All-Americans. Those guys will all be in the top at the NCAA meet."

Bill recognizes what it will take to challenge for a Big Ten individual championship.

"Just keep my head in the race," Bill said. "When I start to hurt, I can't slow down and just give in because it's going to hurt the whole way. We're going to go out fast. It's a flat course, so I can't be scared to go with the leaders."

Pilkington hopes for a faster pace early in the race to help Bill's chances of breaking away and finishing first.

"Well, everything will have to go well at the early pace," Pilkington said. "If it goes out too slow, it leaves the kickers in. Michigan's got two of the fastest guys in the country. (Sophomore Nate) Brannen from Michigan is the NCAA 800 indoor champ and he's an All-American in cross country. If it goes too slow, he'll have wheels at the end."

"Jason will need to make good decisions about when to go and when to push. He'll need to have some help so he won't have to force it too early."

Bill said that individual accomplishments would be nice, but he can only run his best race and hope his best outdoes the competition.

"I just want to be able to compete," Bill said. "I want to go out and put myself in the race and see what happens. As far as specific goals, I really don't have any. I just want to run well and compete well, that's all I could ask."