Buckeyes Extend Illibuck Streak to 10 Straight

Saturday, September 26

Columbus, Ohio

Noon

Ohio State

3-1 , 1-0

Illinois

2-2 , 0-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Illinois	7	3	3	6	19
Ohio St.	14	14	0	14	42

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Buckeyes Extend Illibuck Streak to 10 Straight

9/26/2026 4:58:00 PM | Football

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With Saturday’s win over Illinois at Ohio Stadium, Ohio State extended its home winning streak to 11 games and its winning streak against the Fighting Illini to 10-straight games.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 7 Ohio State football team (3-1) defeated Illinois (2-2), 42-19, on Saturday afternoon at Ohio Stadium.

With the win, Ohio State extended its home winning streak to 11 games and its winning streak against the Fighting Illini to 10 games. The Buckeyes' victory was their 70th all-time against Illinois, improving their record in the series to 70-30-4. Ohio State also improved to 490-115-20 all-time at Ohio Stadium, which is in its 104th season as the Buckeyes' home venue. Since 2000, Ohio State owns the nation's best home record among FBS programs at 159-17 (.903).

The Buckeyes amassed 518 yards of total offense, including 367 passing yards and six touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Jeremiah Smith continued his standout season with a career day, recording 12 catches for 217 yards and four touchdowns.

Smith became the first player in program history to surpass 3,000 career receiving yards and now has 3,175. Purdue's John Standeford (2000-03) holds the Big Ten career record with 3,788 receiving yards. Smith also moved into the conference's all-time top 10 in career receiving yards, passing the 3,140-yard total of former Wisconsin receiver Jared Abbrederis (2010-13).

Smith's four touchdown receptions tied the Ohio State single-game record. He is the fifth Buckeye to accomplish the feat.

Junior quarterback Julian Sayin completed 27-of-36 passes for 367 yards and four touchdowns, all of which were caught by Smith. On the ground, tailbacks Ja'Kobi Jackson and Bo Jackson combined for 106 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Sayin added a rushing touchdown.

Sayin's five total touchdowns marked a career high as well.

Defensively, Ohio State totaled five tackles-for-loss, three sacks and 12 pass breakups throughout the day. Junior safety Jaylen McClain had eight tackles and four pass breakups.

Next, the top-10 Buckeyes will travel to Iowa City for their first Big Ten road game of the season, facing the nationally ranked Hawkeyes. Ohio State is 14-2 against Iowa since 1992 and holds a 48-15-3 advantage in the all-time series.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 ET on CBS.

HOW IT HAPPENED

On its opening drive, Ohio State marched 75 yards in nine plays, capped by a touchdown pass from junior quarterback Julian Sayin to junior wide receiver Jeremiah Smith for a 7-0 lead.
- The touchdown reception moved Smith into the top 10 in Big Ten history in career receiving touchdowns.
Ohio State capped its second drive with a 72-yard touchdown pass from Sayin to Smith, extending the Buckeyes' lead to 14-0.
- The reception also pushed Smith past 3,000 career receiving yards.
Illinois went 75 yards in six plays for its first touchdown of the game with just more than one minute remaining in the first quarter.
Ohio State led 14-7 after one quarter and held a 174-119 advantage in total offense.
The Buckeyes drove 96 yards in 19 plays on their fourth possession, ending the drive with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Sayin to Smith. The score gave Smith the first three-touchdown game of his career.
With less than one minute remaining before halftime, Sayin broke out of the pocket for a seven-yard rushing touchdown.
Ohio State led 28-10 at halftime and held a 186-102 advantage in total offense.
Illinois opened the second half with a 44-yard field goal, the only points scored in the third quarter.
- The Buckeyes entered the fourth quarter with a 28-13 lead.
Following a scoreless third quarter, Ohio State drove 80 yards in eight plays and extended its lead when Sayin connected with Smith for his fourth touchdown of the game.
Illinois answered on its ensuing drive with a 27-yard touchdown pass, cutting Ohio State's lead to 35-19.
Fifth-year running back Ja'Kobi Jackson capped Ohio State's eighth drive with a two-yard rushing touchdown, extending the Buckeyes' lead to 42-19 with 2:36 remaining.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Saturday vs. Illinois, Smith finished the game with 12 receptions for 217 yards and four touchdowns.
- He has 196 receptions and needs 10 to break Emeka Egbuka's mark of 205:

Rank	Player	Career Receptions
1.	Emeka Egbuka (2021-24)	205
2.	K.J. Hill (2016-19)	201
3.	Jeremiah Smith (2024-Pres.)	196
4.	David Boston (1996-98)	191
5.	Chris Olave (2018-21)	176
6.	Cris Carter (1984-86)	168
7.	Michael Jenkins (1999-03)	165
8.	Marvin Harrison Jr. (2021-23)	155
9.	Gary Williams (1979-82)	154
10.	Corey Brown (2010-13)	145

He has 3,175 receiving yards, breaking Michael Jenkins' record of 2,898 against Kent State on Sept. 19 at Ohio Stadium. He is also the only receiver in program history to have over 3,000 career yards:

Rank	Player	Career Receiving Yards
1.	Jeremiah Smith (2024-Pres.)	3,175 yards
1.	Michael Jenkins (2000-03)	2,898 yards
3.	Emeka Egbuka (2021-24)	2,868 yards
4.	David Boston (1996-98)	2,855 yards
5.	Gary Williams (1979-82)	2,792 yards
6.	Cris Carter (1984-86)	2,725 yards
7.	Chris Olave (2018-21)	2,711 yards
8.	Marvin Harrison Jr. (2021-23)	2,613 yards
9.	Devin Smith (2011-14)	2,503 yards
10.	K.J. Hill (2016-19)	2,332 yards

Smith now needs 131 yards to move up to ninth in Big Ten history in career receiving yards after entering the top 10 on Saturday:

Rank	Player	School	Career Receiving Yards
1.	John Standeford (2000-03)	Purdue	3,788 yards
2.	Taylor Stubblefield (2001-04)	Purdue	3,629 yards
3.	Dorien Bryant (2004-07)	Purdue	3,548 yards
4.	Braylon Edwards (2001-04)	Michigan	3,541 yards
5.	Lee Evans (1999-03)	Wisconsin	3,468 yards
6.	Dequece Carter (2019-23)	Indiana	3,430 yards
7.	David Williams (1983-85)	Illinois	3,392 yards
8.	D'Wayne Bates (1995-98)	Northwestern	3,310 yards
9.	Tyler Johnson (2016-19)	Minnesota	3,305 yards
10.	Jeremiah Smith (2024-Pres.)	Ohio State	3,175 yards

He has 34 TD receptions and needs two to break Chris Olave's standard of 35:

Rank	Player	Career Receiving TDs
1.	Chris Olave (2018-21)	35 TDs
T2.	Jeremiah Smith (2024-Pres.)	34 TDs
T2.	David Boston (1996-98)	34 TDs
4.	Marvin Harrison Jr. (2021-23)	31 TDs
5.	Devin Smith (2011-14)	30 TDs
6.	Cris Carter (1984-86)	27 TDs
7.	Santonio Holmes (2003-05)	25 TDs
T8.	Emeka Egbuka (2021-24)	24 TDs
T8.	Brian Robiskie (2005-08)	24 TDs
10.	Garrett Wilson (2019-21)	23 TDs

With 34 career touchdown receptions, Smith is in the top 10 in Big Ten history. Following his four-touchdown performance, he's tied for fifth in conference history with 34 career touchdown receptions:

Rank	Player	School	Career TD Receptions
1.	Braylon Edwards (2001-04)	Michigan	39
2.	Anthony Carter (1979-82)	Michigan	37
3.	James Hardy (2005-07)	Indiana	36
4.	Chris Olave (2018-21)	Ohio State	35
T5.	Jeremiah Smith (2024-Pres.)	Ohio State	34
T5.	David Boston (1996-98)	Ohio State	34
T5.	Dequese Carter (2019-23)	Indiana	34
8.	Tyler Johnson (2016-19)	Minnesota	33
9.	Desmond Howard (1989-91)	Michigan	32
T10.	Marvin Harrison Jr. (2021-23)	Ohio State	31
T10.	Bobby Engram (1991-95)	Penn State	31
T10.	Brian Alford (1994-97)	Purdue	31
T10.	Ron Johnson (1998-01)	Minnesota	31
T10.	Elijah Sarratt (2023-25)	Indiana	31

Smith went over 100 yards receiving for the 14th time in his career which is tied for second in program history:

Rank	Player	100-Yd Games
1.	Marvin Harrison Jr. (2021-23)	15
T2.	Jeremiah Smith (2024-Pres.)	14
T2.	David Boston (1996-98)	14
4.	Chris Olave (2018-21)	11
T5.	Michael Jenkins (2001-03)	10
T5.	Garrett Wilson (2019-21)	10

Smith's 217 receiving yards on Saturday is tied for the sixth most in a single game in program history:

Rank	Player	Single Game Receiving Yards
1.	Jaxson Smith-Njigba (vs. Utah, 2021)	347
2.	Terry Glenn (at Pitt, 1995)	253
3.	Jaxson Smith-Njigba (at Nebraska, 2021)	240
4.	Santonio Holmes (vs. Marshall, 2004)	224
5.	Gary Williams (vs. Florida State, 1981)	220
T6.	Jeremiah Smith (vs. Illinois, 2026)	217
T6.	David Boston (vs. Michigan, 1998)	217

STAGGERING STATISTICS

Illinois was Coach Ryan Day's 61st Big Ten game in his tenure as head coach (win vs. Rutgers as acting head coach in 2018 included).
- Day's Buckeyes are 56-5 in Big Ten games including a 29-2 record in Big Ten games at Ohio Stadium. Additionally, Ohio State is 41-1 against opponents who were unranked in Big Ten play during his tenure.
- Day's teams are 27-2 in the month of September and 9-0 in regular season conference games this month.
- Under Day's direction since the start of the 2019 season, Ohio State has a nation-leading 47 home wins.
- In Day's 61-game Big Ten tenure, Ohio State has averaged 40.0 points per game while allowing just 15.3 points per game to their opponents.
This marked just the second time that Ohio State has played Illinois in the Day era (2020 game was canceled).
Under Day's direction since the start of the 2019 season, Ohio State has a nation-leading 57 wins by 20-plus points:

Rank	School	Wins by 20-Plus Points
1.	Ohio State	57
2.	Georgia	54
3.	Alabama	48
4.	Notre Dame	43
T5.	Clemson	40
T5.	Michigan	40
7.	Oregon	39
8.	Penn State	38
T9.	Tennessee	36
T9.	Utah	36

FROM COACH DAY ON JEREMIAH SMITH

""If there's a better player in the country — and I'm sure there are really good players out there — it's hard to imagine after watching him the last couple games, or even every game this year. But that's how he practices every day, and he has built so much confidence in Julian (Sayin) because they throw together in practice. He's out there taking them in practice; you have to hold him back. But, yeah, I think he's taking his game to the next level this year. I think we looked at him the first couple years, and it was hard to say, 'OK, how can he get better?' But you're seeing it because they line up to catch. He did it in a variety of ways today. You saw a couple balls where he caught the ball at the line of scrimmage and made the guy miss for 12 yards. Then, he makes a spectacular catch in the corner of the end zone, wins on a fade, wins on a post and wins on a double move.

FROM COACH DAY ON TODAY'S WIN

"I thought we did have balance on offense. I thought the offensive line played well today. It was good seeing other guys getting balls. I thought Nate Roberts had a big fourth-down catch in the game. Devin (McCuin) had a catch. It was good to see Brock Boyd and Phillip Bell in the two-minute drill. That was good. Bo (Jackson) was used early in the passing game to kind of get us going. I think they said that we had just under five yards per carry in the run game, so that was more consistent. There was a lot of movement out there today, so I thought, for the most part, the offensive line handled that pretty well in both the run game and pass game. I thought the 97-yard drive was big — 19 plays, I think — and then we had a two-minute drill, so I think that all is important. But we also want to finish the game the right way, with a couple scores in the fourth quarter. There was something positive there."

UP NEXT
Next, the top-10 Buckeyes will travel to Iowa City for their first Big Ten road game of the season, facing the nationally ranked Hawkeyes. Ohio State is 14-2 against Iowa since 1992 and holds a 48-15-3 advantage in the all-time series.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 ET on CBS.