The Illibuck Trophy Is Back After An Eight Year Hiatus
- Nick Michaels
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Saturday afternoon, the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes will take on the 17th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini in a highly anticipated matchup. The game is set to take place at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois, where the home crowd is expected to bring their A-game. Illinois has been ranked in the top 25 throughout the entire season to this point and has impressive wins both on the road and at home.

Historically, this rivalry holds significant importance, dating back to 1907. Notably, the Illibuck Trophy, a wooden turtle, symbolizes the competition between these two programs. Although Ohio State has dominated recent meetings, including their last matchup in 2017—where they won decisively 52-14—Illinois is eager to reclaim the trophy after last winning it in 2007.
Ohio State comes into this contest riding high after a dominant 42-3 victory over Minnesota, showcasing their strength on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Julian Sayin has been in impressive form, delivering his best performance of the season against the Golden Gophers. Completing 23 of 27 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns, Sayin has maintained an astonishing 80.2% completion rate through the first five games. As he continues to grow into his role, Sayin's potential as a game-changer for Ohio State becomes increasingly evident.

On the other side, Illinois has proven their resilience following a challenging loss to Indiana three weeks ago. The Fighting Illini have bounced back with victories over USC and Purdue, and head coach Bret Bielema knows that the stakes are high in this matchup. He emphasized the importance of having a strong home-field advantage, urging students to come out early and support the team. Quarterback Luke Altmeyer has also been a standout for Illinois, throwing for over 15,000 yards with twelve touchdowns and no interceptions this season. His smart and careful play will be crucial as he faces an Ohio State defense that has yet to yield a red-zone touchdown and has allowed just 25 points all season.
Ohio State leads the all-time series 64-23-2 as they prepare to defend their dominance against a motivated Illinois squad. College football fans can tune in to catch this matchup on FOX at noon on Saturday.
