THE RUNNING START
When: Saturday, November 18, 2017
Where: Ohio Stadium
TV: 3:30, ABC
Announcers: Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Todd McShay
This is the 103rd time Ohio State and Illinois will play each other in football. The Buckeyes are 68–30–4* all-time against the Illini. Lovie Smith's team enters this contest with a 2–8 record in 2017.
*NCAA sanctions be damned.
Below you will find some interesting facts about the teams, key offensive player stats, coach information, and team stats.
THE LAST TIME...
- Ohio State played Illinois, the Buckeyes won 28-3 in 2015.
- The Buckeyes played the Illini in Columbus, Ohio State won 55-14 in 2014.
- An Urban Meyer Ohio State team faced a ranked Illinois team was...never.
- The Buckeyes lost the eleventh game of the season was 2015, against Michigan State.
ON THE HORIZON
- 19 seniors will take the field for the last time at Ohio Stadium.
- J.T. Barrett is one touchdown pass away from 100 for his career.
- J.K. Dobbins (1,038 yards) is 59 yards away from passing Mike Weber on Ohio State's all-time list for freshman running backs. Dobbins needs 200 yards to take the top spot away from Maurice Clarett (1,237).
- Ohio State is 20–2 in the month of November with Urban Meyer as head coach.
- Barrett is tied with Joe Germaine with eight 300-yard passing games. He is one 300-yard game from holding the outright record.
- Since 2012, Ohio State is 21–1 when playing at home against Big Ten opponents.
- This is the 205th game in Urban Meyer's career. Among active coaches, he has the highest winning percentage (.848) and is ranked third in the history of Division I history.
- Since 1890, the Buckeyes are 27–20–1 (.573) in the eleventh game of the season and are a lackluster 13–14–1 (.482) at home.
- Ohio State is 6–2 when ranked and facing an unranked Big Ten opponent at home in game 11. 2014 was the last time this scenario occurred and the sixth ranked Buckeyes defeated Indiana 42-27.
University of Illinois
GET TO KNOW ILLINOIS
- The University of Illinois is located in Champaign, IL.
- The university was established in 1867.
- The Illini are 2–8 this season.
- Illinois is 22–49 (.310) since 2012.
- Lovie Smith's team lost to Indiana 14-24 last week.
- The Fighting Illini have started 16 true freshmen and have played 22 this season, both numbers are most in the nation.
- Illinois' offense is last in the Big Ten in rushing offense, sacks allowed, scoring, turnovers lost and interceptions thrown.
- Since joining the Big Ten, the Illini are 341–424–32 (.448) against conference opponents.
TODAY'S TRIVIA QUESTIONS:
- Last week, Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins both eclipsed 100 yards rushing. Prior to the MSU game, can you name the last two Ohio State running backs to run for 100 yards in the same game?
- When was the last time two Ohio State running backs rushed for 100 yards in the same game against a Big Ten opponent?
- What is the name of the trophy Ohio State and Illinois play for and what year did the tradition start?
- Can you name the Illinois quarterback who set Illini passing records for yards, completions, attempts and touchdowns against Ohio State in 1980?
Answers at the bottom of today's article.
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| OFFENSIVE LEADERS | ||||
| J.T. BARRETT | 2,557 YDS // 30 TD // 7 INT | PASSING | JEFF GEORGE JR. | 1,273 YDS // 7 TD // 10 INT |
| J.K. DOBBINS | 1,038 YDS // 7.6 YPC 5 TD | RUSHING | MIKE EPSTEIN | 346 YDS // 6.1 YPC // 3 TD |
| PARRIS CAMPBELL | 459 YDS // 2 TD | RECEIVING | RICKY SMALLING | 488 YDS // 2 TD |
| DEFENSIVE LEADERS | ||||
| JORDAN FULLER | 54 | TACKLES | DEL'SHAWN PHILLIPS | 65 |
| NICK BOSA | 5.0 | SACKS | BOBBY ROUNDTREE / JAMES CRAWFORD | 3.0 |
| DAMON WEBB | 3 | INTERCEPTIONS | BENNETT WILLIAMS | 2 |
| SPECIAL TEAMS | ||||
| K.J. HILL | 3.4 YPR | PUNT RETURNER | MIKE DUDEK | 10.8 YPR |
| PARRIS CAMPBELL | 36.6 YPR | KICKOFF RETURN | NATE HOBBS | 22.3 YPR |
| DRUE CHRISMAN | 43.1 | PUNTING | BLAKE HAYES | 41.6 |
| 6 | EDGE | 3 | ||
THE COACHES
Urban Meyer
- 69–8 (.896) at Ohio State (6th year)
- 173–31 (.848) overall (16th year)
- 45–3 (.938) Big Ten regular season conference record
Lovie Smith
- 5–17 (.227) at Illinois (2nd year)
- 5–17 (.227) overall as a college coach (2nd year)
- 2–14 (.125) Big Ten regular season conference record
CLIFF CLAVEN'S LITTLE KNOWN FACTS CORNER
- Ohio State's offense leads the nation with 281 first downs.
- The Buckeyes have defeated Illinois in 11 of the last 12 regular games.
- Freshman Jeffrey Okudah has played on defense in every game this season.
- Lovie Smith was the defensive backs coach at Ohio State in 1995, Shawn Springs, Antoine Winfield, Damon Moore and Ty Howard played for him.
- The Buckeyes have not allowed any opponent to return a punt this season.
- In 2015, the last time the teams played, Illinois finished with 20 rushing yards.
- Illinois has forced 16 fumbles and leads the nation by averaging 1.6 FF per game.
- Johnnie Dixon is tied for first in the Big Ten with eight touchdown receptions.
- In the last 30 years, only Michigan (12) has more wins against Ohio State than Illinois (9).
- Nick Bosa leads the Buckeyes with 11.5 tackles for loss.
- The Illini's last five wins against Ohio State have been in Columbus (2007, 2001, 1999, 1994 and 1992). The last time Illinois won in Champaign was 1991.
- Buckeye teams under Urban Meyer have scored 50 or more points 23 times. The Scarlet and Gray won all of those games.
- Daniel Dufrene was the last Illini player to rush for over 100 yards against Ohio State. He ran for 106 yards in 2007, the last time Illinois won a game in the series.
- The Buckeyes' last game on November 18th was the 42-39 epic win over No. 2 Michigan in 2006.
- Ohio State is 9–2 on the 18th of November and has won six of the last seven games played on that date.
- This is the first time since 1995 that the Buckeyes have played an opponent other than Michigan on 11/18.
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| OFFENSE | ||||
| 44.2 | 5th | POINTS FOR | 16.4 | 123rd |
| 245.3 | 17th | RUSHING OFFENSE | 107.8 | 121st |
| 301.2 | 17th | PASSING OFFENSE | 194.3 | 91st |
| 546.5 | 3rd | TOTAL OFFENSE | 302.1 | 123rd |
| .488 | 4th | 3rd DOWNS | .366 | 92nd |
| .873 | 46th | RED ZONE | .885 | 31st |
| DEFENSE | ||||
| 20.4 | 25th | POINTS ALLOWED | 28.4 | 76th |
| 116.5 | 14th | RUSH DEFENSE | 199.1 | 104th |
| 193.7 | 31st | PASS DEFENSE | 204.1 | 44th |
| 118.5 | 38th | PASS EFFICIENCY DEFENSE | 131.6 | 75th |
| 310.2 | 14th | TOTAL DEFENSE | 403.2 | 74th |
| .318 | 19th | 3rd DOWNS | .434 | 103rd |
| .759 | 22nd | RED ZONE | .804 | 43rd |
| SPECIAL TEAMS | ||||
| 3.8 | 116th | PUNT RETURN | 8.1 | 57th |
| 25.0 | 18th | KICKOFF RETURN | 20.3 | 84th |
| 42.4 | 7th | NET PUNTING | 38.4 | 57th |
| MISCELLANEOUS | ||||
| + 0.2 | 48th | TURNOVER MARGIN | -0.5 | 101st |
| 7.3 | 106th | PENALTIES | 7.2 | 102nd |
| 15 | EDGE | 3 | ||
TODAY'S TRIVIA ANSWERS
Last week, Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins both eclipsed 100 yards rushing. Prior to last week, can you name the last two Ohio State running backs to run for 100 yards in the same game?
Answer: Derek Combs and Jonathan Wells both went over the century mark against Miami, OH in 2000.
When was the last time two Ohio State running backs rushed for 100 yards in the same game against a Big Ten opponent?
Answer: 1989. Carlos Snow and Scottie Graham did it against Indiana in a 35-31 victory.
What is the name of the trophy Ohio State and Illinois play for and what year did the tradition start?
Answer: 1925 was the year the teams first played for the Illibuck trophy. The "trophy" was originally a live turtle.
Can you name the Illinois quarterback who set Illini passing records for yards, completions, attempts and touchdowns against Ohio State in 1980?
Answer: Dave Wilson completed 43 of 69 passes for 621 yards and six touchdowns, but Ohio State won 49-42 in Columbus.
ICYMI
The 1942 Season Through The Words Of the Past: 11/15/1942
