Illibuck is a trophy awarded to the winner of the college football rivalry between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Ohio State Buckeyes football teams.

History

The winning team in the Illinois–Ohio State game receives this wooden turtle, named the Illibuck.
Map
Locations of Illinois and Ohio State

The Illibuck is a carved wooden turtle that serves as the trophy awarded to the winner of the game. Two junior honorary societies, Bucket and Dipper of Ohio State and Atius-Sachem of Illinois, are responsible for the care of the Illibuck. Originally the "trophy" was a live turtle when the tradition began in 1925, picked for its expected long life as a symbol of the anticipated long life of the rivalry. From 1919 to 1933, the Illinois–Ohio State game was the regular-season finale for both teams. Since the original turtle's death on April 14, 1926, ten wooden replica Illibucks have been carved, each with the scores from games on its back. The Illibuck is the second oldest trophy passed between Big Ten Conference football programs (the Little Brown Jug was created in 1903).

The rivalry once included the smoking of a "peace pipe" between members of the two junior honorary societies, which occurred at halftime of the game. This practice has not been done for many years. However, the trophy is still presented to the winning school of the previous year's contest between quarters.

The series was temporarily interrupted during the 2003 and 2004 seasons when Ohio State and Illinois did not play each other. When the teams met in 2005, Illinois presented the trophy to Ohio State for winning the 2002 game. Ohio State leads the overall series 69–30–4 and the trophy series 65–23–2.

In 2011, the Big Ten expanded to 12 teams and split into two divisions. Ohio State and Illinois were both placed in the Leaders Division, meaning they would play each other every year. But in 2014, the league expanded to accommodate the addition of Maryland and Rutgers, which placed Illinois in the West Division and Ohio State in the East Division. Therefore, the two schools no longer met annually.

The teams went seven seasons without a match-up, from 2018 through 2024. The game scheduled for November 28, 2020, was cancelled by Ohio State due to a high number of COVID-19 cases among the program.

With the 2024 expansion of the Big Ten and removal of divisions, Ohio State and Illinois will now meet at least twice in each five-year cycle.

Game results

Illinois victoriesOhio State victoriesTie gamesVacated wins
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
No.DateLocationWinnerScore1November 15, 1902ColumbusTie0–02November 5, 1904ColumbusIllinois46–03October 17, 1914ChampaignIllinois37–04October 16, 1915ColumbusTie3–35October 21, 1916ChampaignOhio State7–66November 17, 1917ColumbusOhio State13–07November 16, 1918ChampaignIllinois13–08November 22, 1919ColumbusIllinois9–79November 20, 1920ChampaignOhio State7–010November 19, 1921ColumbusIllinois7–011November 25, 1922ChampaignOhio State6–312November 24, 1923ColumbusIllinois9–013November 22, 1924ChampaignIllinois7–014November 21, 1925ColumbusIllinois14–915November 20, 1926ChampaignOhio State7–616November 19, 1927ColumbusIllinois13–017November 24, 1928ChampaignIllinois8–018November 23, 1929ColumbusIllinois27–019November 22, 1930ChampaignOhio State12–920November 21, 1931ColumbusOhio State40–021November 19, 1932ChampaignOhio State3–022November 25, 1933ColumbusOhio State7–623October 13, 1934ChampaignIllinois14–1324November 16, 1935ColumbusOhio State6–025November 14, 1936ChampaignOhio State13–026November 13, 1937ColumbusOhio State19–027November 12, 1938ChampaignOhio State32–1428November 18, 1939Columbus#8 Ohio State21–029November 16, 1940Urbana, IllinoisOhio State14–630November 15, 1941Columbus#20 Ohio State12–731November 14, 1942Cleveland, Ohio#10 Ohio State44–2032November 13, 1943ColumbusOhio State29–2633November 18, 1944Cleveland, Ohio#4 Ohio State26–1234November 17, 1945Columbus#9 Ohio State27–235November 16, 1946Champaign#9 Illinois16–736November 15, 1947ColumbusIllinois28–737November 13, 1948ChampaignOhio State34–738November 12, 1949Columbus#11 Ohio State30–1739November 18, 1950Champaign#8 Illinois14–740November 17, 1951ColumbusTie0–041November 15, 1952ChampaignOhio State27–742October 10, 1953ColumbusIllinois41–2043October 9, 1954Champaign#10 Ohio State40–744October 8, 1955ColumbusOhio State27–1245October 13, 1956Champaign#5 Ohio State26–646October 12, 1957ColumbusOhio State21–747October 11, 1958Champaign#5 Ohio State19–1348October 10, 1959Columbus#20 Illinois9–049October 8, 1960Champaign#5 Ohio State34–750October 14, 1961Columbus#7 Ohio State44–051October 13, 1962Champaign#10 Ohio State51–1552October 12, 1963ColumbusTie20–2053October 10, 1964Champaign#4 Ohio State26–0No.DateLocationWinnerScore54October 9, 1965ColumbusOhio State28–1455October 8, 1966ChampaignIllinois10–956October 28, 1967ColumbusIllinois17–1357October 26, 1968Champaign#2 Ohio State31–2458October 25, 1969Columbus#1 Ohio State41–059October 24, 1970Champaign#1 Ohio State48–2960October 9, 1971Champaign#15 Ohio State24–1061October 14, 1972Columbus#4 Ohio State26–762November 3, 1973Champaign#1 Ohio State30–063November 2, 1974Columbus#1 Ohio State49–764November 8, 1975Champaign#1 Ohio State40–365November 6, 1976Columbus#8 Ohio State42–1066November 5, 1977Champaign#4 Ohio State35–067November 11, 1978ColumbusOhio State45–768November 3, 1979Champaign#5 Ohio State44–769November 8, 1980Columbus#7 Ohio State49–4270October 17, 1981ColumbusOhio State34–2771October 16, 1982ChampaignOhio State26–2172October 15, 1983Champaign#19 Illinois17–1373October 13, 1984Columbus#8 Ohio State45–3874October 5, 1985ChampaignIllinois31–2875October 4, 1986ColumbusOhio State14–076October 3, 1987Champaign#9 Ohio State10–677October 1, 1988ColumbusIllinois31–1278October 7, 1989Champaign#18 Illinois34–1479October 6, 1990Columbus#13 Illinois31–2080October 12, 1991Champaign#20 Illinois10–781October 10, 1992ColumbusIllinois18–1682October 9, 1993Champaign#6 Ohio State20–1283October 8, 1994ColumbusIllinois24–1084November 11, 1995Columbus#2 Ohio State41–385November 9, 1996Champaign#2 Ohio State48–086November 15, 1997Columbus#4 Ohio State41–687October 10, 1998Champaign#1 Ohio State41–088November 13, 1999ColumbusIllinois46–2089November 11, 2000Champaign#13 Ohio State24–2190November 17, 2001Columbus#12 Illinois34–2291November 16, 2002Champaign#2 Ohio State23–1692November 5, 2005Columbus#12 Ohio State40–293November 4, 2006Champaign#1 Ohio State17–1094November 10, 2007ColumbusIllinois28–2195November 15, 2008Champaign#10 Ohio State30–2096September 26, 2009Columbus#13 Ohio State30–097October 2, 2010Champaign#2 Ohio State†24–1398October 15, 2011ChampaignOhio State17–799November 3, 2012Columbus#6 Ohio State52–22100November 16, 2013Champaign#3 Ohio State60–35101November 1, 2014Columbus#13 Ohio State55–14102November 14, 2015Champaign#2 Ohio State28–3103November 18, 2017Columbus#9 Ohio State52–14104October 11, 2025Champaign#1 Ohio State34–16Series: Ohio State leads 69–30–4† Ohio State's victory vacated due to use of ineligible players
1November 15, 1902ColumbusTie0–0
2November 5, 1904ColumbusIllinois46–0
3October 17, 1914ChampaignIllinois37–0
4October 16, 1915ColumbusTie3–3
5October 21, 1916ChampaignOhio State7–6
6November 17, 1917ColumbusOhio State13–0
7November 16, 1918ChampaignIllinois13–0
8November 22, 1919ColumbusIllinois9–7
9November 20, 1920ChampaignOhio State7–0
10November 19, 1921ColumbusIllinois7–0
11November 25, 1922ChampaignOhio State6–3
12November 24, 1923ColumbusIllinois9–0
13November 22, 1924ChampaignIllinois7–0
14November 21, 1925ColumbusIllinois14–9
15November 20, 1926ChampaignOhio State7–6
16November 19, 1927ColumbusIllinois13–0
17November 24, 1928ChampaignIllinois8–0
18November 23, 1929ColumbusIllinois27–0
19November 22, 1930ChampaignOhio State12–9
20November 21, 1931ColumbusOhio State40–0
21November 19, 1932ChampaignOhio State3–0
22November 25, 1933ColumbusOhio State7–6
23October 13, 1934ChampaignIllinois14–13
24November 16, 1935ColumbusOhio State6–0
25November 14, 1936ChampaignOhio State13–0
26November 13, 1937ColumbusOhio State19–0
27November 12, 1938ChampaignOhio State32–14
28November 18, 1939Columbus#8 Ohio State21–0
29November 16, 1940Urbana, IllinoisOhio State14–6
30November 15, 1941Columbus#20 Ohio State12–7
31November 14, 1942Cleveland, Ohio#10 Ohio State44–20
32November 13, 1943ColumbusOhio State29–26
33November 18, 1944Cleveland, Ohio#4 Ohio State26–12
34November 17, 1945Columbus#9 Ohio State27–2
35November 16, 1946Champaign#9 Illinois16–7
36November 15, 1947ColumbusIllinois28–7
37November 13, 1948ChampaignOhio State34–7
38November 12, 1949Columbus#11 Ohio State30–17
39November 18, 1950Champaign#8 Illinois14–7
40November 17, 1951ColumbusTie0–0
41November 15, 1952ChampaignOhio State27–7
42October 10, 1953ColumbusIllinois41–20
43October 9, 1954Champaign#10 Ohio State40–7
44October 8, 1955ColumbusOhio State27–12
45October 13, 1956Champaign#5 Ohio State26–6
46October 12, 1957ColumbusOhio State21–7
47October 11, 1958Champaign#5 Ohio State19–13
48October 10, 1959Columbus#20 Illinois9–0
49October 8, 1960Champaign#5 Ohio State34–7
50October 14, 1961Columbus#7 Ohio State44–0
51October 13, 1962Champaign#10 Ohio State51–15
52October 12, 1963ColumbusTie20–20
53October 10, 1964Champaign#4 Ohio State26–0
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
54October 9, 1965ColumbusOhio State28–14
55October 8, 1966ChampaignIllinois10–9
56October 28, 1967ColumbusIllinois17–13
57October 26, 1968Champaign#2 Ohio State31–24
58October 25, 1969Columbus#1 Ohio State41–0
59October 24, 1970Champaign#1 Ohio State48–29
60October 9, 1971Champaign#15 Ohio State24–10
61October 14, 1972Columbus#4 Ohio State26–7
62November 3, 1973Champaign#1 Ohio State30–0
63November 2, 1974Columbus#1 Ohio State49–7
64November 8, 1975Champaign#1 Ohio State40–3
65November 6, 1976Columbus#8 Ohio State42–10
66November 5, 1977Champaign#4 Ohio State35–0
67November 11, 1978ColumbusOhio State45–7
68November 3, 1979Champaign#5 Ohio State44–7
69November 8, 1980Columbus#7 Ohio State49–42
70October 17, 1981ColumbusOhio State34–27
71October 16, 1982ChampaignOhio State26–21
72October 15, 1983Champaign#19 Illinois17–13
73October 13, 1984Columbus#8 Ohio State45–38
74October 5, 1985ChampaignIllinois31–28
75October 4, 1986ColumbusOhio State14–0
76October 3, 1987Champaign#9 Ohio State10–6
77October 1, 1988ColumbusIllinois31–12
78October 7, 1989Champaign#18 Illinois34–14
79October 6, 1990Columbus#13 Illinois31–20
80October 12, 1991Champaign#20 Illinois10–7
81October 10, 1992ColumbusIllinois18–16
82October 9, 1993Champaign#6 Ohio State20–12
83October 8, 1994ColumbusIllinois24–10
84November 11, 1995Columbus#2 Ohio State41–3
85November 9, 1996Champaign#2 Ohio State48–0
86November 15, 1997Columbus#4 Ohio State41–6
87October 10, 1998Champaign#1 Ohio State41–0
88November 13, 1999ColumbusIllinois46–20
89November 11, 2000Champaign#13 Ohio State24–21
90November 17, 2001Columbus#12 Illinois34–22
91November 16, 2002Champaign#2 Ohio State23–16
92November 5, 2005Columbus#12 Ohio State40–2
93November 4, 2006Champaign#1 Ohio State17–10
94November 10, 2007ColumbusIllinois28–21
95November 15, 2008Champaign#10 Ohio State30–20
96September 26, 2009Columbus#13 Ohio State30–0
97October 2, 2010Champaign#2 Ohio State†24–13
98October 15, 2011ChampaignOhio State17–7
99November 3, 2012Columbus#6 Ohio State52–22
100November 16, 2013Champaign#3 Ohio State60–35
101November 1, 2014Columbus#13 Ohio State55–14
102November 14, 2015Champaign#2 Ohio State28–3
103November 18, 2017Columbus#9 Ohio State52–14
104October 11, 2025Champaign#1 Ohio State34–16
Series: Ohio State leads 69–30–4
† Ohio State's victory vacated due to use of ineligible players

See also