Illinois Leaves Behind Past Failures, Upsets No. 5 Ohio State, 31-28

A little history lesson was all Mike White needed to prepare his Illinois football team for fifth-ranked Ohio State.

White’s son, Chris, kicked a 38-yard field goal with four seconds left Saturday to give the Illini a 31-28 victory.

“I don’t remember a sweeter victory in my coaching career, and you all know why,” White said.

Illinois blew a 24-point lead in a 45-38 loss to the Buckeyes last year and lost, 49-42, in 1980, White’s first season at Illinois.

The Illini (2-2) are off to their worst start in six years but got the jump in the Big Ten standings by winning the conference opener for both teams. It was the first loss in four games for Ohio State, the defending Big Ten champion.

“It’s going to be a topsy-turvy league,” Ohio State Coach Earle Bruce said. “It’s going to be a real donnybrook right down until the end.”

Illinois tied the score at 28-28, when Jack Trudeau capped a 64-yard drive with a one-yard dive with six minutes left.

Trudeau completed 28 of 40 passes for 294 yards. Wide receiver Stephen Pierce caught seven passes for 131 yards.

Following a Buckeyes’ punt, Trudeau moved the Illini from their 42-yard line to the Ohio State 21, using a mix of short passes and runs. Ray Wilson, who scored twice on one-yard runs, converted a third down at the OSU 27 to keep the drive alive.

Wilson carried once more to set up White’s fifth field goal of the year. He was kicking with the wind at his back.

“When I hit it it felt pretty good,” White said. “If I would have missed I would have blamed it on the wind.”

Mike White enjoyed playing the role of proud father.

“Chris is pretty damn good at what he does. He’s got great poise and concentration. We don’t talk about situations like these. He does his job and I do mine. He’s a guy that you look him in the eye, and you know he can do it.”

Ohio State quarterback Jim Karsatos completed 7 of 17 passes for 147 yards. Cris Carter caught all 7 of Karsatos’ completions, including touchdown receptions of 23 and 24 yards. Karsatos earlier scored on a one-yard dive.

Carter’s touchdowns snapped a 14-14 halftime tie and lifted the Buckeyes to a 28-21 lead.

Ohio State’s Vince Workman, a freshman from Dublin, Ohio, tied the score, 14-14, with a 35-yard run--his first collegiate touchdown--late in the first half.

Illinois’ early scores also came on one-yard runs by Keith Jones and Wilson to take a 14-0 lead.