COLLEGE FOOTBALL : After Good Read of George, Illini Like Him for Heisman : Big Ten: Ohio State running back rushes for 314 yards, scores three times in 41-3 victory.

After piling up an Ohio State-record 314 yards rushing in a 41-3 beating of Illinois, Eddie George refused to strike a Heisman pose.

“We’ve got two games left, two big games,” said George, who had 36 carries. “I’m not really concerned about the Heisman. I’m more concerned about the Rose Bowl and how we’re going to finish the year.”

But his coach wasn’t nearly so reluctant to talk about the senior tailback’s chances.

“That’s probably the finest individual effort I’ve seen out of a running back,” Ohio State Coach John Cooper said. “If there’s any player out there in America who’s better than Eddie George or more deserving of individual awards than Eddie George--and I’ve been coaching 33 years--I don’t know who he is.”

George, sixth in the country with an average of 142 rushing yards a game coming in, picked up 180 yards in the first half. He broke Keith Byars’ Ohio State record of 274 yards on a 13-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter.

“Eddie George was just spectacular. He was a nightmare,” Illinois Coach Lou Tepper said.

Illinois defensive coordinator Denny Marcin said, “They created craters I could run through . . . We probably gave him the Heisman today. I’ve been coaching for 32 years and I’ve never seen a back do that.”

George broke a tackle in the backfield and raced for a 74-yard touchdown on Ohio State’s first offensive play of the second half. He scored his third touchdown of the third quarter when he lined up in the slot and caught a 13-yard pass in the corner of the end zone from quarterback Bob Hoying.

All of that came against a defense ranked 10th in the country in total defense. In the third quarter alone, George had 105 yards rushing and 18 points--and Illinois came in allowing only 109 yards rushing and 17.5 points per game.

“The whole line was just dominating all day,” George said. “We really didn’t need to pass the ball . . . Looking at films, I was worried how we would get 20 yards against their defense.”

Ohio State, 10-0 overall and 6-0 in the Big Ten, maintained the inside track to the Rose Bowl while keeping pace with No. 5 Northwestern in the Big Ten.

The victory also ended a string of disappointments against Illinois. The Illini (4-5, 2-4) had won six of seven meetings since John Cooper became coach at Ohio State, including four in a row in Ohio Stadium. That hadn’t happened since Illinois won six in a row in Columbus from 1919 to 1929.