|
|
|
|
Ohio State Buckeyes © |
Illinois Fighting Illini |
|
Played November 8, 1975 at Memorial Stadium Champaign, Illinois |
|
Teams' Belt Records
|
Team |
Belt Reigns |
Overall Record |
Home Record |
Away Record |
Neutral Record |
||||||||||||
|
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
||
| Ohio State © | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | .857 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| Illinois | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | ||||||||
Previous Belt Meetings: None
|
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
Final |
|
|
Ohio State |
0 |
10 |
10 |
20 |
40 |
|
Illinois |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
The Fighting Illini of Bob Blackman stood 4-4 with a 7-game losing streak to the Buckeyes. Ohio State was 8-0, ranked No. 1 nationally & no one had come within 10 points of Woody Hayes’ team. Ohio State's RB Pete Johnson scored 2 touchdowns to break the Big Ten record for touchdowns in a season with 21 & PK Tom Skladany connected on a Big Ten record 59-yard field goal as the Buckeyes rolled to a 40-3 victory to retain The Belt & the Illi-Buck Turtle trophy. Illinois took a 3-0 lead when All-Big Ten PK Dan Beaver hit a 36-yard field goal for the only points of the 1st quarter but the Buckeyes dominated the rest of the game. Ohio State's Heisman Trophy winning, All-American RB Archie Griffin scored on a 30-yard touchdown run giving the Buckeyes a 7-3 lead & Skladany’s kick came on the final play of the 1st half for a 10-3 lead. Skladany hit a 40-yard field goal in the 3rd quarter before Ohio State’s All-American S Tim Fox returned an interception 20 yards for another Buckeyes' touchdown. Johnson’s record-breaking touchdowns came in the 4th quarter on runs of 3 & 1 yard as Ohio State pushed the lead to 33-3. Buckeyes' RB Jeff Logan scored on a 13-yard touchdown run to finish the scoring. Griffin finished with 127 yards rushing with his touchdown while All-Big Ten QB Cornelius Greene threw for 118 yards completing 8 of 11 passes. Illinois' QB Jim Kopatz threw for 34 yards with 2 interceptions in the loss. Ohio State finished the season 11-1; Big Ten Champions & ranked 4th nationally while the Fighting Illini finished 5-6. Illinois would play for The Belt again in 1981.
