Illinois-Ohio State history

Rivalry leaderboard

Illinois-Ohio State Greatest Games

The series' top 25 meetings, ranked without team allegiance by game-time AP strength, final-score closeness, and overtime.

Games
25
Top score
76/100
Overtime
1

Series context

Completed meetings
104
Series record
Illinois 30-70-4 Ohio State
Tracked years
1902-2025
Trophy
Illibuck

Series ranking

The rivalry's top 25 games

25 of these games include at least one AP-ranked team at kickoff. Open a supported game for its box score and statistics.

  1. 1963Week 5

    Ohio State at Illinois

    Ohio State 20, Illinois 20

    Result: Tie

    No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Illinois · 0-point margin

    Ranking 41/50 · Closeness 35/35 · Overtime 0/15

    76

    Game score

  2. 2002Week 131OT

    Ohio State at Illinois

    Ohio State 23, Illinois 16

    Winner: Ohio State

    No. 2 Ohio State vs. Unranked Illinois · 7-point margin

    Ranking 24/50 · Closeness 28/35 · Overtime 9/15

    61

    Game score

  3. 1951Week 10

    Ohio State at Illinois

    Ohio State 0, Illinois 0

    Result: Tie

    Unranked Ohio State vs. No. 4 Illinois · 0-point margin

    Ranking 22/50 · Closeness 35/35 · Overtime 0/15

    57

    Game score

  4. 1983Week 8

    Ohio State at Illinois

    Ohio State 13, Illinois 17

    Winner: Illinois

    No. 17 Ohio State vs. No. 11 Illinois · 4-point margin

    Ranking 24/50 · Closeness 31/35 · Overtime 0/15

    55

    Game score

  5. 1991Week 7

    Ohio State at Illinois

    Ohio State 7, Illinois 10

    Winner: Illinois

    No. 11 Ohio State vs. No. 20 Illinois · 3-point margin

    Ranking 21/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 0/15

    53

    Game score

  6. 1985Week 6

    Ohio State at Illinois

    Ohio State 28, Illinois 31

    Winner: Illinois

    No. 5 Ohio State vs. Unranked Illinois · 3-point margin

    Ranking 21/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 0/15

    53

    Game score

  7. 1968Week 7

    Ohio State at Illinois

    Ohio State 31, Illinois 24

    Winner: Ohio State

    No. 2 Ohio State vs. Unranked Illinois · 7-point margin

    Ranking 24/50 · Closeness 28/35 · Overtime 0/15

    52

    Game score

  8. 1958Week 5

    Ohio State at Illinois

    Ohio State 19, Illinois 13

    Winner: Ohio State

    No. 3 Ohio State vs. Unranked Illinois · 6-point margin

    Ranking 23/50 · Closeness 29/35 · Overtime 0/15

    52

    Game score

  9. 1987Week 6

    Ohio State at Illinois

    Ohio State 10, Illinois 6

    Winner: Ohio State

    No. 9 Ohio State vs. Unranked Illinois · 4-point margin

    Ranking 17/50 · Closeness 31/35 · Overtime 0/15

    48

    Game score

  10. 1993Week 7

    Ohio State at Illinois

    Ohio State 20, Illinois 12

    Winner: Ohio State

    No. 6 Ohio State vs. Unranked Illinois · 8-point margin

    Ranking 20/50 · Closeness 27/35 · Overtime 0/15

    47

    Game score

  11. 1980Week 11

    Illinois at Ohio State

    Illinois 42, Ohio State 49

    Winner: Ohio State

    Unranked Illinois vs. No. 7 Ohio State · 7-point margin

    Ranking 19/50 · Closeness 28/35 · Overtime 0/15

    47

    Game score

  12. 1984Week 8

    Illinois at Ohio State

    Illinois 38, Ohio State 45

    Winner: Ohio State

    Unranked Illinois vs. No. 8 Ohio State · 7-point margin

    Ranking 18/50 · Closeness 28/35 · Overtime 0/15

    46

    Game score

  13. 2000Week 12

    Ohio State at Illinois

    Ohio State 24, Illinois 21

    Winner: Ohio State

    No. 13 Ohio State vs. Unranked Illinois · 3-point margin

    Ranking 13/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 0/15

    45

    Game score

  14. 1982Week 7

    Ohio State at Illinois

    Ohio State 26, Illinois 21

    Winner: Ohio State

    Unranked Ohio State vs. No. 15 Illinois · 5-point margin

    Ranking 11/50 · Closeness 30/35 · Overtime 0/15

    41

    Game score

  15. 1953Week 4

    Illinois at Ohio State

    Illinois 41, Ohio State 20

    Winner: Illinois

    No. 9 Illinois vs. No. 17 Ohio State · 21-point margin

    Ranking 26/50 · Closeness 14/35 · Overtime 0/15

    40

    Game score

  16. 1970Week 9

    Ohio State at Illinois

    Ohio State 48, Illinois 29

    Winner: Ohio State

    No. 3 Ohio State vs. Unranked Illinois · 19-point margin

    Ranking 23/50 · Closeness 16/35 · Overtime 0/15

    39

    Game score

  17. 1990Week 7

    Illinois at Ohio State

    Illinois 31, Ohio State 20

    Winner: Illinois

    No. 11 Illinois vs. Unranked Ohio State · 11-point margin

    Ranking 15/50 · Closeness 24/35 · Overtime 0/15

    39

    Game score

  18. 1959Week 5

    Illinois at Ohio State

    Illinois 9, Ohio State 0

    Winner: Illinois

    No. 13 Illinois vs. Unranked Ohio State · 9-point margin

    Ranking 13/50 · Closeness 26/35 · Overtime 0/15

    39

    Game score

  19. 1972Week 6

    Illinois at Ohio State

    Illinois 7, Ohio State 26

    Winner: Ohio State

    Unranked Illinois vs. No. 4 Ohio State · 19-point margin

    Ranking 22/50 · Closeness 16/35 · Overtime 0/15

    38

    Game score

  20. 2001Week 13

    Illinois at Ohio State

    Illinois 34, Ohio State 22

    Winner: Illinois

    No. 12 Illinois vs. No. 25 Ohio State · 12-point margin

    Ranking 15/50 · Closeness 23/35 · Overtime 0/15

    38

    Game score

Methodology

How each game earns up to 100 points

AP ranking, 50 points: each team earns 26 minus its game-time AP rank. Unranked teams receive zero.

Closeness, 35 points: the final margin is subtracted from 35, with margins of 35 or more receiving zero.

Overtime, 15 points: overtime starts at nine points and rises by two per additional period, capped at 15.

Regular-season rankings use the AP Top 25 recorded for the game's week. Postseason meetings use the final regular-season AP poll before bowl and playoff results. Games before 2005 remain in the ranking but do not link to unsupported box-score pages. Videos are matched by canonical game ID or by a rematch-safe season matchup.