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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) -- Dan Stultz kicked Ohio State past
Illinois and into another pivotal matchup with Michigan.
|  | | Ohio State's Derek Combs was a threat to run or catch Saturday as the Buckeyes nipped Illinois. |
Stultz hit a 34-yard field goal on the final play of the game as Ohio State (No. 14 ESPN/USA Today, No. 13 AP) beat the Illini 24-21 on Saturday to move into a
four-way tie with Purdue, Northwestern and Michigan atop the Big
Ten.
"This is huge for us," said Bellisari, who said the Buckeyes
learned at halftime -- down 14-12 -- that league-leading Northwestern
and Purdue lost earlier. "We knew what we had to play for."
The Buckeyes (8-2, 5-2) responded, especially Bellisari.
Illinois intercepted three of his passes to protect its fragile
lead, but he recovered to lead tying and winning drives.
Stultz, who made four field goals in the game, kicked a
17-yarder with 6:05 left to tie the game a 21.
"You can't second guess our heart and you can't second guess
Dan Stultz's heart today," said Stultz, clutching a game ball.
The victory sends Ohio State into yet another season-ending, and
season-turning, game against Michigan on Saturday in Columbus.
"I'm a happy guy," Ohio State coach John Cooper said. "We're
playing for a share of the championship."
The loss leaves Illinois (5-5, 2-5) still one victory short of
bowl eligibility in a season in which they lost three Big Ten games
by four points or less.
"It's hard especially with the season we've had," tight end
Josh Whitman said. "We've been in a lot of games like this and
lost. It gets harder and harder each time."
Christian Morton returned the opening kickoff to Illinois' 42.
Four plays later, Rocky Harvey dodged sidestepped two tacklers for
a 29-yard yard touchdown run.
The Buckeyes ran at will most of the game with Jonathan Wells
gaining 131 yards and Derek Combs adding 65. But Illinois made just
enough big plays to keep them from the end zone.
Bobby Jackson stopped Jerry Westbrooks short on fourth-and-goal
from the 2 on the Buckeyes' first drive, forcing them to settle for
Stultz's 19-yard field goal.
Fred Wakefield's interception killed one Ohio State drive. And
after a blocked punt gave the Buckeyes the ball at Illinois' 43,
the offense stalled and Stultz kicked a 41-yarder to make it 7-6.
Illinois scored on its next drive when Antoineo Harris ran 25
yards for a touchdown to put Illinois ahead 14-6 with 12:44 left.
Ohio State missed another scoring opportunity on the next drive.
David Mitchell's interception gave OSU the ball at Illinois 22, but
Eugene Wilson dove to intercept Bellisari at the goal line.
Given another chance with 2:11 remaining, Bellisari drove the
Buckeyes 80 yards and hit Darnell Sanders for a 1-yard touchdown
play. The Buckeyes went for 2, but Jamar Martin dropped Bellisari's
pass in the end zone, leaving Illinois ahead 14-12 at the half.
Ohio State scored on its first drive in the second half on a
7-yard pass from Bellisari to Sanders. But OSU again failed to
convert on a 2-point conversion and led 18-14.
Wilson's second interception came on a deep pass from Bellisari.
Wilson leaped above Vanness Provitt to snatch a ball at the
Illinois 15.
Illinois took advantage. Kurt Kittner threw 47 yards to Greg
Lewis at the 13. But two plays later, Mike Doss knocked Kittner
from the game with a helmet-to-helmet hit as Kittner slid for the
first down at the Ohio State 2.
Kittner lay still for almost 10 minutes, before rising and
walking off the field.
Kittner, who suffered a concussion, was hospitalized and released late Saturday night. He is questionable for Saturday's game against Northwestern.
Dustin Ward replaced Kittner and, two plays later, hit Jameel
Cook for the go-ahead touchdown with 14:21 left.
Ohio State converted a fourth-and-1 at the Illinois 22, and
drove to the Illinois 5. Twice, Bellisari failed to leap over the
line from the 1. Cooper opted not to try again, and Stultz tied it
at 21 with a 17-yard field goal with 6:05 left.
"We kicked the field goal to tie because Kittner was out of the
game," Cooper said. "They were putting the ball in the hands of a
young quarterback. Had Kittner been in the game, we would have gone
for it."
A dropped third-down pass ended Illinois' drive, and Steve
Fitts' punt pinned Ohio State at its own 11 with 3:40 to go.
Bellisari and Wells took turns running, marching the Buckeyes to
the 17 with 6 seconds left to set up the winning kick in a swirling
wind. It sailed just above and inside the right goal post.
"It wasn't pretty. It wasn't down the middle but it's three
points," Stultz said.
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Ohio State Clubhouse
Illinois Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Ohio State's Steve Bellisari eludes the rush to connect with Darnell Sanders for another touchdown.
avi: 810 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Was Mike Doss' hit on Illinios' Kurt Kittner legal? You be the judge.
avi: 1349 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Ohio State's Steve Bellisari rolls out and finds a wide open Darnell Sanders in the end zone.
avi: 971 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Illinois' Rocky Harvey takes the ball 29 yards up the gut for the touchdown.
avi: 754 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Illinois' Fred Wakefield intercepts the ball off the Ohio State deflection.
avi: 916 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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