Ohio State hosts Illinois in Big Ten opener

No. 7 Ohio State was scheduled to host Illinois in a Big Ten game on September 26 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, with kickoff listed for noon Eastern and the game set to air on FOX. The supplied reports previewed the matchup but did not establish a final score or confirm the game’s outcome. Both teams entered at 2-1 after wins the previous week. Ohio State beat Kent State 59-3, while Illinois defeated Southern Illinois 48-10. Each had lost its preceding game: Ohio State fell 24-23 at Texas, and Illinois lost 31-27 to Duke. The game marked the teams’ Big Ten opener, according to the previews. Ohio State was ranked seventh and had won its previous ten meetings with Illinois, with the Illini’s last reported victory coming in 2007. The teams’ previous matchup, in 2025, ended in an Ohio State win in Champaign. The series also carries the Illibuck Trophy, a wooden turtle awarded to the winner. The rivalry dates back more than a century, though the schools did not meet from 2018 through 2024, according to historical accounts in the supplied material. The previews focused on Ohio State’s recent form and Illinois’ chance to challenge the Buckeyes on the road.