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Getting to be a habit Illinois chalks up another comeback win over Ohio St.
Updated: Saturday November 17, 2001 4:35 PM
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- A New Year's Day bowl just isn't enough anymore for Illinois. Kurt Kittner led No. 12 Illinois to a comeback victory for the fourth game in a row as the Illini beat No. 25 Ohio State 34-22 to remain in the hunt for their first Big Ten title since 1990. "We're not happy with the Citrus Bowl," Illinois wide receiver Walter Young said of the Big Ten's second bowl affiliation. "We want a BCS bowl. We're greedy." Illinois (9-1, 6-1), which won its sixth in a row since losing to Michigan, can clinch at least a share of the conference title with a victory at home next week against Northwestern. "Once again, another thriller," linebacker Jerry Schumacher said of the Illini's latest late heroics. Ohio State (6-4, 4-3), which needed to win its last two games to remain in title contention, lost in its first game in almost three seasons without Steve Bellisari at quarterback. Bellisari was suspended indefinitely Friday after his arrest on two counts of drunken driving. Before the game, Illinois coach Ron Turner told his team to forget about the controversy bubbling around the Buckeyes. "I told them, 'It isn't about Steve Bellisari against Illinois. It's Ohio State against Illinois. Focus on Illinois first and Ohio State second,'" Turner said. Kittner completed 18 of 28 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He had led the Illini back from early deficits in victories over Wisconsin, Purdue and Penn State in their last three games. Kittner was 4-of-6 for 51 yards in an 80-yard drive that ended with Carey Davis' 1-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter that gave Illinois the lead for good at 27-22. It wasn't all Kittner, however. The Illini picked up important points on defense and special teams. "The other guys did a great job of stepping up and making plays," Kittner said. "We did a great job of spreading it around." They opened the scoring just one minute into the game when Dwayne Smith blocked Andy Groom's punt and Jamaal Clark picked it up for a 2-yard touchdown return. "I haven't been around too many games where you can have a punt blocked for a touchdown and win the game," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. Ohio State, with Scott McMullen and Craig Krenzel combining to go 15-of-36 passing for 206 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions, still trailed 27-22 after taking over on a downed punt at its own 2 with 5:23 left. On first down, however, Krenzel had his view blocked by leaping defensive tackle Jeff Ruffin. Krenzel's pass into the right flat for Michael Jenkins was picked off by linebacker Ty Myers, who returned it 5 yards and dived into the end zone for the insurance touchdown. "He was looking at me the whole time but he still threw it at me," Myers said. Krenzel said, "I saw Michael over the middle, but I got a little greedy and ended up making the biggest mistake of the game." Bellisari was arrested early Friday morning on two counts of drunken driving and two minor traffic violations. As the Buckeyes' starting quarterback the last 31 games, Ohio State was 19-12. He had completed 70 percent of his passes the past two weeks as the Buckeyes won both games to draw within a game of first place Illinois and Michigan in the Big Ten. Ohio State athletics director Andy Geiger said Friday that Bellisari would not attend the game. Prior to the kickoff, the team's seniors were introduced to the Ohio Stadium-record crowd of 104,407. Bellisari, a two-year captain, did not have his name announced. McMullen started and completed 4 of 13 passes for 42 yards and a 10-yard scoring pass to Chris Vance. Krenzel played most of the second half and completed 11 of 23 passes for 164 yards and two interceptions. Jenkins made a fingertip catch of Krenzel's pass for a 17-yard touchdown midway through the third period to cut Illinois' lead to 21-16. Jonathan Wells, who topped 1,000 yards for the season with 192 yards rushing on 23 carries, then put Ohio State ahead 22-21 on a 1-yard run with a second left in the third quarter. Kittner, who moved to 23-14 as a starter to tie Jack Trudeau's school record for wins by a quarterback, tossed a 37-yard scoring pass to Walter Young and a 36-yarder to Aaron Moorhead in the span of 1:37 late in the first half to put the Illini ahead 21-10. Even after the Buckeyes came back to take the lead, the Illini didn't blink. "We don't panic," Myers said. "We look at each other on the sidelines and know what we have to do."
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