Illinois coach Lovie Smith was an Ohio State assistant for one of the most celebrated games in the Illinois-Ohio State series. Therein, Smith was on Ohio State's sideline for a record performance by Eddie George against the Illini, the centerpiece of Eddie George's Heisman campaign.
Long-time Ohio State fans may remember Illinois was arguably the biggest thorn in John Cooper's side early into his tenure as an Ohio State coach. Indeed, Ohio State lost six of the first seven contests to Illinois since John Cooper took over the program in 1988. The 1993 win in Champaign is conspicuous in a list of lowlights in which Illinois won by either double digits (1988, 1989, 1990, 1994) or Ohio State found creative ways to lose heartbreakers (1991, 1992).
The 1992 loss was a particular soul-crusher. Eddie George, then a true freshman, fumbled twice on Illinois' goal line in the 18-16 loss in Ohio Stadium. The previous contest was also a sore spot. Illinois All-American linebacker Dana Howard promised victory in Ohio Stadium, and delivered. The Illinois pounded Ohio State, 24-10, in front of the Ohio Stadium crowd.
The 1995 game promised much of what happened in 1994, but the outcome always seemed it would be different.
Illinois was still the outstanding defensive team it was in 1994. Dana Howard had left for the NFL but the Illini defense still featured Simeon Rice and Kevin Hardy. Both were All-Americans and Kevin Hardy even won the Butkus Award that season. Illinois was not a great team in 1995, but they weren't in 1994 when they still smothered the Buckeyes. That defense, certainly against the rush, was arguably better in 1995 than it was in 1994 despite Dana Howard's departure.
Weather and injury concerns compounded matters. The weather was cold with a mix of icy rain for this early November contest between the two programs. Ohio State's ground crew unevenly tarped the field, leading to some mushy pockets along with dry pockets. Further, Terry Glenn, arguably the most explosive playmaker on a roster that featured a Heisman winner, injured himself in the previous week's contest at Minnesota and would not see the field against Illinois.
Put another way, Ohio State was going to size up against one of the best rush defenses in the country without its playmaking threat that made Ohio State so balanced in 1995. The weather conditions were always going to induce Ohio State to lean on the run game at the expense of a more balanced attack. Eddie George had his work cut out for him.
It's only fitting amid this narrative that Ohio State began the game with a Bobby Hoying interception on its first drive. The ensuing Illinois three-and-out pinned the Buckeyes on their own one-yard line.
What followed after that possession was the beginning of a beatdown. Eddie George ran for 85 yards of Ohio State's 99-yard touchdown drive to put Ohio State up 7-0. However, it was Pepe Pearson got the glory on a touchdown toss off left tackle.
Eddie George got another crack at Illinois' vaunted rush defense after an Illinois three-and-out. George ran for 38 yards on Ohio State's 61-yard touchdown drive to go up 14-0. Again, another Buckeye got the glory in the end zone when Bobby Hoying found Dimitrious Stanley on the inside slant for six.
Ohio State's offense was largely stymied thereafter, minus a nifty play by Rickey Dudley to set up what sadly became a missed field goal try for Josh Jackson. Ohio State had added a field goal on a drive prior to that to get the Buckeyes to a 17-0 halftime lead.
Illinois started the second half with the ball and, to the collective groan of Ohio Stadium fans who had seen Illinois win the previous four games in Ohio Stadium, embarked on a 10-play, 58-yard field goal drive to cut Ohio State's lead to 17-3.
Eddie George won his Heisman on the next play from scrimmage.
That gave Eddie George 245 yards on 24 carries and his first touchdown of the game. It also started the rout in earnest as the body language from Illinois' players and coaches effectively conceded defeat.
The game was never in doubt after that, but history was. Eddie George inched closer and closer to Keith Byars' individual-game rushing record set 11 years earlier, incidentally against Illinois as well. Byars had 274 yards on 39 carries in a shootout win over the Illini. George was just 29 yards short and was doing way better on yards per carry than Byars.
In short, the record was well within reach with third quarter still underway.
The Buckeyes continued to pile on the Illini defense, as did George. He needed just 11 yards to match Byars after his 26th carry. He broke it quietly with a three-yard rush on his 31st carry but celebrated it for sure on the next play. Therein, a 13-yard run on his 32nd carry gave Ohio State a 31-3 lead in the third quarter.
Two plays later, he found the end zone again, this time through the air. Eddie George had four receptions for 32 yards and a touchdown the same day he broke Ohio State's single-game rushing record.
Ohio State took a 38-3 lead into the fourth quarter with the only intrigue remaining about the 300-yard mark. No Ohio State had broken that mark and George was 14 yards from it.
He secured it on Ohio State's first drive of the fourth quarter. He followed a four-yard run to start the drive with a 24-yard draw over the left side of the offensive line to break 300 yards. His 36th and final carry, a one-yard gain, was his last. John Cooper made sure to make his exit conspicuous. George finished with 36 carries for 314 yards and exited the field to grateful fans cheering his name.
Eddie George's performance, by carry, beginning to end.
Ohio State added a final field goal to make the final score, 41-3. However, it was as much a triumph for Eddie George as it was for Ohio State. George carried the day and was responsible for 65% of Ohio State's 527 offensive yards. He did so without arguably the more explosive playmaker on the field. He did so in conditions that favored the Illini defense to stack the box to stop him. George used all that as a platform for what became his Heisman campaign.
Lovie Smith was on the Ohio State sideline for this. It was incidentally the penultimate game he would be on Ohio State's sideline as a coach. Ohio State finished with Illinois the next week for senior day before closing the season with, regrettably, a road loss at Michigan.
It'll be the first time Smith returns to Ohio Stadium as a coach on either sideline, but he was there for a banner day in the history of the Illibuck series. This will be his first time seeing it from the visitor's sideline, though echoes of "EDDIE! EDDIE! EDDIE!" will be ringing in his ears through the day.
