American Football Database
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Battle for the Illibuck[1]
First contestedNovember 15, 1902
Tie, 0–0
Number of meetings103
Most recent meetingNovember 18, 2017
Ohio State, 52-14
Next meetingNovember 21, 2020
All-time seriesOhio State leads, 68*–30–4
*2010 vacated win not included
Largest victoryOhio State, 48–0 (1996)
Longest win streakOhio State, 15 (1968–1982)
Current streakOhio State, 8* (2008–present)
*2010 vacated win not included
Illibuck Trophy is located in USA Midwest
Illinois
Illinois
OSU
OSU
Locations

The Illibuck Trophy is the centerpiece of an American college football rivalry between the Illinois Fighting Illini football team of the University of Illinois and Ohio State Buckeyes football team of The Ohio State University, with the winner of their game receiving said trophy.

History[]

File:Illibuck.jpg

The winning team in the Illinois–Ohio State game receives this wooden turtle, named the Illibuck.

The Illibuck is a carved wooden turtle that serves as the trophy awarded to the winner of the game. Two junior honorary societies, Bucket and Dipper of Ohio State and Atius-Sachem of Illinois, are responsible for the care of the Illibuck. Originally the "trophy" was a live turtle when the tradition began in 1925, picked for its expected long life as a symbol of the anticipated long life of the rivalry. From 1919 to 1933, the Illinois–Ohio State game was the regular-season finale for both teams. Since the original turtle's death on April 14, 1926,[2] ten wooden replica Illibucks have been carved, each with the scores from games on its back.[3] The Illibuck is the second oldest trophy passed between Big Ten Conference football programs (the Little Brown Jug was created in 1903).

The rivalry once included the smoking of a "peace pipe" between members of the two junior honorary societies, which occurred at halftime of the game. This practice has not been done for many years. However, the trophy is still presented to the winning school of the previous year's contest between quarters.

The series was temporarily interrupted during the 2003 and 2004 seasons when Ohio State and Illinois did not play each other. When the teams met in 2005, Illinois presented the trophy to Ohio State for winning the BCS National Championship in 2002. Ohio State leads the overall series 68–30–4 and the trophy series 63–23–2.

In 2011, the Big Ten expanded to 12 teams and split into two divisions. Ohio State and Illinois were both placed in the Leaders Division, meaning they would play each other every year. But in 2014, the league expanded to accommodate the addition of Maryland and Rutgers, which placed Illinois in the West Division and Ohio State in the East Division.[4] An annual matchup between the schools will no longer happen with this format, although the teams are guaranteed to meet at least once within a four-year span.

Game results[]

Years of an Illinois victory are in blue. Years of an Ohio State victory are in scarlet. Years of a tie or vacated victory by either team are in white.

Illinois victoriesOhio State victoriesTie gamesVacated wins
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 1902 Columbus Tie0–0
2 1904 Columbus Illinois 46–0
3 1914 Champaign Illinois 37–0
4 1915 Columbus Tie3–3
5 1916 Champaign Ohio State 7–6
6 1917 Columbus Ohio State 13–0
7 1918 Champaign Illinois 13–0
8 1919 Columbus Illinois 9–7
9 1920 Champaign Ohio State 7–0
10 1921 Columbus Illinois 7–0
11 1922 Champaign Ohio State 6–3
12 1923 Columbus Illinois 9–0
13 1924 Champaign Illinois 7–0
14 1925 Columbus Illinois 14–9
15 1926 Champaign Ohio State 7–6
16 1927 Columbus Illinois 13–0
17 1928 Champaign Illinois 8–0
18 1929 Columbus Illinois 27–0
19 1930 Champaign Ohio State 12–9
20 1931 Columbus Ohio State 40–0
21 1932 Champaign Ohio State 3–0
22 1933 Columbus Ohio State 7–6
23 1934 Champaign Illinois 14–13
24 1935 Columbus Ohio State 6–0
25 1936 Champaign Ohio State 13–0
26 1937 Columbus Ohio State 19–0
27 1938 Champaign Ohio State 32–14
28 1939 Columbus #8 Ohio State 21–0
29 1940 Urbana, Illinois Ohio State 14–6
30 1941 Columbus #20 Ohio State 12–7
31 1942 Cleveland, Ohio #10 Ohio State 44–20
32 1943 Columbus Ohio State 29–26
33 1944 Cleveland, Ohio #4 Ohio State 26–12
34 1945 Columbus #9 Ohio State 27–2
35 1946 Champaign #9 Illinois 16–7
36 1947 Columbus Illinois 28–7
37 1948 Champaign Ohio State 34–7
38 1949 Columbus #11 Ohio State 30–17
39 1950 Champaign #8 Illinois 14–7
40 1951 Columbus Tie0–0
41 1952 Champaign Ohio State 27–7
42 1953 Columbus Illinois 41–20
43 1954 Champaign #10 Ohio State 40–7
44 1955 Columbus Ohio State 27–12
45 1956 Champaign #5 Ohio State 26–6
46 1957 Columbus Ohio State 21–7
47 1958 Champaign #5 Ohio State 19–13
48 1959 Columbus #20 Illinois 9–0
49 1960 Champaign #5 Ohio State 34–7
50 1961 Columbus #7 Ohio State 44–0
51 1962 Champaign #10 Ohio State 51–15
52 1963 Columbus Tie20–20
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
53 1964 Champaign #4 Ohio State 26–0
54 1965 Columbus Ohio State 28–14
55 1966 Champaign Illinois 10–9
56 1967 Columbus Illinois 17–13
57 1968 Champaign #2 Ohio State 31–24
58 1969 Columbus #1 Ohio State 41–0
59 1970 Champaign #1 Ohio State 48–29
60 1971 Champaign #15 Ohio State 24–10
61 1972 Columbus #4 Ohio State 26–7
62 1973 Champaign #1 Ohio State 30–0
63 1974 Columbus #1 Ohio State 49–7
64 1975 Champaign #1 Ohio State 40–3
65 1976 Columbus #8 Ohio State 42–10
66 1977 Champaign #4 Ohio State 35–0
67 1978 Columbus Ohio State 45–7
68 1979 Champaign #5 Ohio State 44–7
69 1980 Columbus #7 Ohio State 49–42
70 1981 Columbus Ohio State 34–27
71 1982 Champaign Ohio State 26–21
72 1983 Champaign #19 Illinois 17–13
73 1984 Columbus #8 Ohio State 45–38
74 1985 Champaign Illinois 31–28
75 1986 Columbus Ohio State 14–0
76 1987 Champaign #9 Ohio State 10–6
77 1988 Columbus Illinois 31–12
78 1989 Champaign #18 Illinois 34–14
79 1990 Columbus #13 Illinois 31–20
80 1991 Champaign #20 Illinois 10–7
81 1992 Columbus Illinois 18–16
82 1993 Champaign #6 Ohio State 20–12
83 1994 Columbus Illinois 24–10
84 1995 Columbus #2 Ohio State 41–3
85 1996 Champaign #2 Ohio State 48–0
86 1997 Columbus #4 Ohio State 41–6
87 1998 Champaign #1 Ohio State 41–0
88 1999 Columbus Illinois 46–20
89 2000 Champaign #13 Ohio State 24–21
90 2001 Columbus #12 Illinois 34–22
91 2002 Champaign #2 Ohio State 23–16
92 2005 Columbus #12 Ohio State 40–2
93 2006 Champaign #1 Ohio State 17–10
94 2007 Columbus Illinois 28–21
95 2008 Champaign #10 Ohio State 30–20
96 2009 Columbus #13 Ohio State 30–0
97 2010* Champaign #2 Ohio State 24–13
98 2011 Champaign Ohio State 17–7
99 2012 Columbus #6 Ohio State 52–22
100 2013 Champaign #3 Ohio State 60–35
101 2014 Columbus #13 Ohio State 55–14
102 2015 Champaign #2 Ohio State 28–3
103 2017 Columbus #9 Ohio State 52–14
Series: Ohio State leads 68–30–4
  • Ohio State's 2010 victory in the series was vacated as a result of the Buckeyes' use of ineligible players.

See also[]

References[]

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