No. 7 Ohio State (2-1) hosts Illinois (2-1) at noon ET on FOX, taking a 10-game series winning streak into the matchup. Illinois quarterback Katin Houser started for Michigan State in the Buckeyes’ 38-3 win in 2023.
Ohio State special teams coordinator Robby Discher joined the Buckeyes in February 2026 after three seasons as Illinois’ special teams coordinator and tight ends coach. The Illibuck began as a live turtle in 1925; ten wooden versions have been carved since the turtle died in 1926. It is the second-oldest trophy exchanged between Big Ten football programs, after the Little Brown Jug.
Illinois’ last win over Ohio State was a 28-21 upset in Columbus, when unranked Illinois beat the No. 1 Buckeyes and Juice Williams threw four touchdowns. YouTube co-founders Steve Chen and Jawed Karim are Illinois alumni; Karim uploaded the site’s first video in 2005.
