Recipe for an upset?

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Sep. 25—CHAMPAIGN — In five-plus seasons at Illinois, Bret Bielema has experienced multiple wins against ranked teams. Eight times in fact.

No. 9 won't be easy: Saturday at seventh-ranked Ohio State in The Horseshoe (11 a.m. on Fox).

The oddsmakers don't like Illinois' chances, making the Buckeyes (2-1) 27 1/2-point favorites before they play the Illini (2-1) in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

The highest-ranked team among Bielema's victims was No. 7 Penn State in 2021 (it took a record-setting nine overtimes at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa). That is Bielema's lone win against the Top 10 while coaching the Illini.

What would beating Ohio State at the House of Woody Hayes, Eddie George and Jeremiah Smith mean for Bielema's guys?

"I remember I won over there as a player in 1991," Bielema said Thursday at the Smith Center. "It was kind of an unusual scenario. There was a shooting on campus in Iowa City, and it was a really unique scenario."

Bielema has never won at Ohio State as a head coach. He had a chance in 2009 while at Wisconsin.

The Badgers, who were 5-0 going into the game, threw two pick-sixes in a 31-13 loss.

Bielema seems to appreciate Ohio State's traditions and fan enthusiasm.

"It's one of the coolest environments in college football," Bielema said of Ohio Stadium, which officially seats 102,780 fans. "These moments don't come around very often. I think we've got to take advantage of the moment we're in."

It's possible

Illinois has wins at Ohio State. I know because I've seen five of them: 1990, 1994, 1999, 2001 and 2007. I missed Illinois' 18-16 victory in 1992 because of a trip to England.

More on that game later.

In that same span, Illinois has only two home wins against the Buckeyes, in 1989 and 1991.

Yeah, it's a weird series. Illinois has more wins overall against the Buckeyes on the road (18) than at home (12). And all four ties (ask your parents) were in Columbus.

Special run

Ohio native John Mackovic (Barberton) took over at Illinois in 1988. In his four seasons, he beat the Buckeyes four games in a row, home and away. Only the 1991 game was decided by less than a touchdown, with Illinois winning 10-7.

Lou Tepper took over in 1992 and Illinois maintained its hold against Ohio State, winning in '92 and 1994 and losing a close game in 1993.

What was it about Columbus that worked so well for the Illini? Tepper, now retired and living in Georgia, has a few ideas.

"Part of it was being the underdog role," Tepper said. "After we beat them the first time, it was like either we were 'lucky' or 'They didn't play very well.'

"When we beat them the second time, we got under their skin. They were a much bigger rival of ours than we were of theirs."

Keeping the games at Columbus close was important, Tepper said. The throng at Ohio State can get frustrated and take it out on the home team.

"I remember us telling the team: 'If you hang in there and you are in the game at halftime or ahead at halftime, they'll eat their own,'" Tepper said.

Tepper's team even managed to beat Ohio State in '92 with its starting quarterback Jason Verduzco back at home.

"Verduzco, and I loved him then, got a little big for his britches and he didn't do several things," Tepper said. "One was academics. One was lifting. None of them were crimes. We chose to hold him out for a half and he came into my office and said some things he shouldn't have said. I decided to leave him at home."

Of course, Tepper had to tell his assistants they would be playing in The Horseshoe without their starting quarterback.

Their reaction?

"I don't know if we can move without him," Tepper said.

Into the lineup went Jeff Kinney, the son of a former All-American running back and NFL first-round pick.

Kinney threw for 139 yards and ran for the only touchdown by the Illinois offense in an 18-16 win.

"That's the one game of the nine (against Ohio State) that I thought we may have had the least chance at," Tepper said.

The biggest play in the game was Jeff Arneson's 96-yard fumble return of a George fumble in the first quarter. Arneson also had eight tackles in the game, second to Dana Howard's 15.

How to anger your coach

Howard managed just that before the 1994 game at Ohio State, guaranteeing an Illinois win the week of the trip.

"Dana got me mad," Tepper said. "The team rallied around Dana. I was the bad guy. He's poking the bear."

The bear never woke up as Illinois won 24-10 with Howard recording 14 tackles and intercepting a pass.

"In 50 years of coaching linebackers, I never had one lateral a ball in the game," Tepper said.

Until that game, when Howard found his buddy Antoine Patton for a long gain.

"He won the Butkus that day," Tepper said.

When his teams played Ohio State, Tepper thought his defense was on a level playing field with the Buckeyes.

"We felt like we could compete with them," he said.

The plays didn't always work. Illinois had a fake punt in one of the games, but the punter didn't get the call.

"It looked like a land rush," Tepper said. "They had seven guys who could have blocked the punt and they did."

The receiver was wide open as the punt got smothered.

Unsung heroes

The last Illinois team to beat Ohio State in Columbus was Ron Zook's 2007 squad that knocked off the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes.

The final was 28-21, with all the scoring in the first three quarters.

The Illinois team, which reached the Rose Bowl and ended the 2007 season with a 9-4 record, was filled with stars: Juice Williams, J Leman, Rashard Mendenhall, Arrelious Benn and Vontae Davis.

And they all did their part.

Williams threw four touchdown passes to four different players. Benn, who led the team that season with 54 catches, wasn't one of them.

Jacob Willis, the team's No. 3 receiver that season, scored Illinois' longest touchdown of the day, a 33-yarder. It was his only catch that game.

"They did a play-action toward my side of the field," said Willis, a Centennial graduate. "I was supposed to run a post, but it was so open, I just took off. (Williams) put it in perfect position. All I had to do was catch the ball."

Willis is now living in Tampa, Fla., with his wife Taylor and sons Beau and Dez and daughter Solei. Willis owns a tree service.

Beau, 16, plays in the secondary at Steinbrenner High School.

Illinois' No. 4 receiver in 2007 and Ohio native Brian Gamble also had a touchdown grab. Michael Hoomanawanui scored first for Illinois on one of his five catches that season. The play went 3 yards.

Marques Wilkins, who scored what proved to be the game-winner, had three grabs all season. His play went for 31 yards late in the third quarter and gave Illinois a 28-14 lead.

How did Illinois beat the No. 1 team that day?

"From the beginning, you could feel the energy," Willis said. "Everybody felt like, 'We can play with these guys.' We were definitely locked in."

Central Illinois played a big part. Willis is from Champaign, Wilkins is from Decatur and Hoomanawanui is from Bloomington.

"That's where it kind of messed Ohio State's mind up," Willis said. "They probably prepared for Juice, Arrelious and Rashard. They really weren't worried about Juice throwing the ball."

In the fourth quarter with Illinois in control, Willis noticed the quiet from the crowd.

"The fans started feeling it slipping," Willis said. "When you're playing an away game, the best sound is quiet shut everybody up."

Willis will be watching Saturday, hoping for another upset by the Illini.

"Everything's got to be on point," Willis said. "These guys (the Buckeyes) aren't going to make too many mistakes."

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