Illini inch past OSU

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Top-ranked Ohio State’s national title hopes teetered on a timeout, the ball inches from a first down for Illinois.

Illini coach Ron Zook changed his mind, decided to go for it on fourth down and that was the beginning of the end for the Buckeyes’ hopes of redeeming themselves in this season’s national championship game.

Juice Williams provided the big plays on the ground and through the air, spurring the Illini to a 28-21 victory on Saturday night and throwing open the national title race for a bunch of teams that needed the Buckeyes to lose.

“I know ‘shock the world’ is overused,” Illini linebacker J Leman said. “It is pretty shocking to most people, but not to the guys in the locker room.”

Marcus Thomas’ interception gave Illinois the ball with 8:09 left at its 24. Ohio State would never get it back.

The Illini lined up to punt on a fourth-and-inches at their 34 with 6:53 left while grasping a 28-21 lead, but Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel called timeout and Zook reconsidered after being prodded by his quarterback.

“I said, ‘Coach, you don’t think we can get a half an inch?’ ” Williams said amid the uproar of the postgame celebration. “He looked at me and got on the headset to (offensive coordinator Mike) Locksley. He (Zook) said, ‘If you don’t get it, I’ll hurt you.’ “

Zook remembered it differently.

“Juice said, ‘I’ll get you an inch,’ ” Zook said. “I said, ‘You’d better.’ “

Williams sneaked for the first down and twice more he converted third-and-long on quarterback draws to burn the clock.

Tressel said of the timeout, “I’d like to have that one back.”

It was the first time Illinois (8-3, 5-2 Big Ten) had beaten a No. 1 since 1956, and the first time it had done it away from home. The defeat also ended a conference and school streak of 20 Big Ten wins in a row by Ohio State (10-1, 6-1).

“It’s (my) last time in the Horseshoe and it’s the last game I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” Ohio State offensive tackle Kirk Barton said.