2017 is the 75th anniversary of Ohio State's first national championship season. To honor the achievement, this series will post articles from the Columbus Citizen Journal on the day they ran in 1942.

In Today's paper:

• Paul Brown talks about Ohio State's "pep" and Don Hawk shares the possible starting lineups. 
• The "experts" make their picks and Lew Byrer gives a history lesson on the Illinois rivalry.
• Wiedamann's uses class to make you want to buy a glass. 

Armistice Day provided a breathing spell for the other students on the campus at Ohio State yesterday, but the Buckeye football team used the day to rehearse thoroughly the offense they expect to throw against the fighting Illini in Cleveland Municipal Stadium Saturday afternoon.

And throw is the proper word because Coach Paul Brown is drilling his team particularly hard in the passing department, anticipating frequent use of the seven-man line by the Illini on defense.

Both Sarringhaus and Les Horvath were throwing the ball around for the first-string eleven last night while Tommy James and George Slusser teamed up on the second squad to rain a barrage of passes.

And we wonder why teams have closed practices today. Hawk is giving the Illinois coaching staff first-hand reports of what to expect.

Polish Run Attack

After the passing drills, the squad ran through the running attack. The session indicated that Coach Brown expects a wide-open game this week and want to have his scoring machine hitting on all four.

The morale of the squad this week is very high.

"We're at full steam," Brown admitted after practice, "and it seems as if this team is enjoying its work. Two weeks ago, we had an entirely different attitude but now we're showing snap, pep and enthusiasm."

Knowing that Ohio State has "snap, pep and enthusiasm" Illinois should be on high alert. I wonder how today's reporters would respond if Urban Meyer gave a team updated using those words?

A second development of the session was the quick adaptation of George Slusser to his new right halfback position, where he will be ready for some steady service in the game Saturday. Moved to the position this week after the injuries to Bob Frye and Tom Cleary in the Pitt game, Slusser adds to the offensive possibilities of the team.

He's Best Passer

Slusser is the best passer on the squad in the eyes of many spectators in the Buck camp. He is a hard runner but lacks the speed of either James or Sarringhaus and is lighter than the average Big Ten halfback.

"He's a tough player," Brown said in his defense, "and he'll give a good account of himself."

Bill Durtschl was back in uniform last night taking punting practice for the team and Trainer Ernie Biggs said he may be in shape to do some of the kicking for the Buck team this week.

The chances of the Bucks would be greatly improved in the game with Illinios if Durtschl is ready to go because in Walt Correll the Illini have by far the best kicker the Bucks have seen in action this season. Correll has an average of more than 50 yards per kick for the season.

No matter the era, averaging 50 yards per punt is pretty damn impressive. Hawk turns his focus on Illinois.

Illini Keep Step

The rest of the Illinois offense keeps step with the ace punter on the team. Captain Jimmy Smith is the fullback. He is light for the position, weighing only 173 pounds, but he is especially adept at starting wide around the ends only to cut back off the tackles for long gains.

Smith's chief assistant in the ball-carrying department is Left Halfback Don Griffin, now playing his second season in Big Ten circles. Griffin adds speed, deception and variety to the Illinois attack.

Possible Starting Lineups

OHIO STATE	POSITION	ILLINOIS
DON STEINBERG	LE	PETERSON
BILL WILLIS	LT	GEALS
HAL DEAN	LG	PAWLOWSKI
BILL VICKROY	C	WEBSKUBAN
LIN HOUSTON	RG	AGASE
CHARLES CSURI	RT	KASAP
BOB SHAW	RE	ENGEL
GEORGE LYNN	QB	FLORECK
PAUL SARRINGHAUS	LH	GRIFFIN
LES HORVATH	RH	CORRELL
GENE FEKETE	FB	SMITH

*Some names may be spelled incorrectly as the print was difficult to read.

What do the soothsayers see for the outcome of this battle between the Buckeyes and Illini?

The experts' guesses on Ohio's chances against the Illini at Cleveland Saturday:

Lew Byrer, Citizen Sports Editor---"Ohio State by one touchdown in a hard-fought game."

Red Grange, NEA sports expert and former Galloping Ghost of the Illini---"Bone-crushing Ohio State looks like a bit too much for Illinois too handle."

Leo H. Peterson, United Pres Sports Editor---"Illinois over Ohio State. That's another special of my midwest scout and it draws my moral but not financial support."

This proves that there were Buckeye haters back in 1942. Leo H. Peterson, meet Mark May.

When Ohio State and Illinois meet in Cleveland Saturday afternoon in the 31st gridiron battle between the two schools it will be the third time the Bucks have met an Illinois team not coached by Bob Zuppke.

Ohio State and Illinois met in 1902 and 1904 before Zup started his long career as Illinois grid mentor. They didn't meet again until 1914---Zup's second year at Illinois and Dr. John W. Wilce's second at Ohio State.

From 1914 to the present they've met annually. Last year Zup announced his resignation after the Ohio-Illinois game here.

In the previous games Ohio State has won 16, Illinois 12 and two have resulted in ties.

It wasn't until the fifth game between the two schools that Ohio State won a victory. That year---1916---Chic Harley changed his kicking shoe in a morass of mud in the rain on Illinois field to boot the point after touchdown which gave Ohio State a 7-to-0 victory and the first Big Ten championship in Buckeye history.

Illinois still leads on total points. The Illini have scored 264 points in the series to 251 for Ohio State.

The Complete Record Follows:

Year	OSU	ILL.			Year	OSU	ILL.
1902	0	0			1928	0	8
1904	0	46			1929	0	27
1915	3	3			1931	40	0
1916	7	6			1932	3	0
1917	13	0			1933	7	6
1918	0	13			1934	13	14
1919	7	9			1935	6	0
1920	7	0			1936	13	0
1921	0	7			1937	19	0
1922	6	3			1938	32	14
1923	0	9			1939	21	0
1924	0	7			1940	14	6
1925	9	14			1941	12	7
1926	7	6				---	---
1927	0	13				251	264

Byrer reflects on the close games played between the two rivals.

Many Thrilling Games

The 30-game Ohio State-Illinois football history is replete with thrilling games.

There was the Harley thrill in 1916. Then, in 1917, Ohio State won its second Big Ten Championship by defeating Illinois 13-to-0 in the final game of the season on old Ohio Field.

In 1919 Illinois came here for Chic Harley's last game. Ohio was undefeated. Chic Harley hadn't played on a defeated team in a college game.

With only a few minutes left to play Ohio was leading 7-to-6 and it was Illinois' ball on the Illini 20. Three forward passes from Larry Walquist to Chuck Carney were completed to take the ball to the Buckeye 20. Bob Fletcher, now attorney for the Ohio Oil Co., at Findlay, kicked a field goal which gave Illinois a 9-to-7 victory and Big Ten championship.

Won in Last Second

In 1920, another undefeated Ohio State team went to Illinois for the game which would decide whether or not the Buckeyes won their third Big Ten championship.

It was a bitter battle with each team holding for downs within the five-yard line. Chuck Carney, Illinois' All-American end, received a broken leg that day. Bob Fletcher suffered a broken hand.

In the last 10 seconds of play, with only time for one more play, the Bucks had the ball at midfield. Hoge Workman took the pass from center and faded back. All-American Pete Stinchcomb raced down the left sideline with two Illini defenders covering him. Truck Myers trotted out to the right and then raced down field.

Hoge threw the ball. It was actually in the air when the final gun sounded. Myers, in the clear, caught it and raced over the goal line. Stinchcomb kicked the goal and it was Ohio State 7, Illinois 0 and another Big Ten championship for the Buckeyes.

Red Grange, Illinois' all-time great, played against Ohio State twice---in 1923 when the Illini won 9-to-0 and in 1925 when he wound up his career here in a 14-to-9 Illinois victory. Red was injured and sat out of the 1924 game but Illinois won, anyhow, 7-to-0.

Illinois hasn't won since 1934 when Ohio State was nosed out 14-to-13 at Illinois.

The biggest Ohio State margin of victory was 40-to-0 in 1931. Ray Eliot, who succeeded Bob Zuppke as Illinois coach, played in that game.

Hopefully the Buckeyes can drop another 40-0 beat down on Zuppke and his Illini.

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