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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- Kurt Kittner threw four touchdown passes and Steve Havard rushed for 108 yards and a score as Illinois embarrassed Big Ten rival Ohio State, 46-20, to take the "Illibuck" Trophy. The Illini (6-4, 3-4 Big Ten) snapped a four-game losing streak against the Buckeyes (6-5, 3-4) and made themselves bowl eligible for the first time since 1994. Kittner completed 17-of-31 passes for 221 yards. He followed a pair of first-quarter field goals by Niel Rackers by hitting Brandon Lloyd with a 30-yard scoring strike that gave Illinois a 13-0 cushion seven seconds into the second quarter. Ohio State, which captured the "Illibuck" with a 41-0 thrashing of the Illini in Champagne last season, have dropped backed-to-back conference contests and will have to win at archrival Michigan next weekend to finish the lackluster campaign above .500. Havard punished the Buckeyes' defense with 28 carries and went in from seven yards with 9:12 left in the first half to extend Illinois' lead to 19-0. Kittner assured Illinois of its third victory in four weeks when he found tight end Jose Whitman on a two-yard TD pass nine seconds before intermission, giving the Illini a 29-7 cushion. The sophomore signal caller made it 36-7 with a 25-yard TD pass to Jameal Cook. Cook finished with 100 yards on seven catches and Whitman was the recepient of Kittner's final TD toss, a five-yarder that made it 43-14 with 4:04 left in the third quarter. Steve Bellisari was not nearly as successful as his fellow second-year quarterback. He was 9-of-24 for 133 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Michael Wiley did the most damage for Ohio State, carrying 19 times for 129 yards with a six-yard scoring jaunt that saved some face for the Buckeyes as they closed to 43-20 with 11:17 to play. Ohio State maintained a commanding 52-21-2 lead in the all-time "Illibuck" series.
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