Week 4 brings Ohio State’s Big Ten opener, with Illinois coming to Columbus for a matchup between two programs that have been playing each other since 1902. No. 7 Ohio State (2-1) hosts Illinois (2-1) on Saturday at noon, with plenty of attention on Julian Sayin’s third-down struggles and Jeremaih Smith’s record-breaking start to the season. But there is also a long history between these two programs that goes back more than a century, involving a wooden turtle.

The tradition dates back to 1925, when junior honorary societies from Ohio State and Illinois decided the rivalry needed a symbol of its own, and they settled on a turtle, naming it “Illibuck.” For a while, it was an actual live turtle that the winning team would take home after each game. But once, an Illinois turtle escaped from a fraternity bathtub in Champaign and died in 1927. Since then, the tradition went on with a wooden turtle as a trophy symbol of winning the matchups between two schools.

The turtle was chosen as a symbol of longevity, with the idea that the rivalry would outlast both programs’ coaching staff and even their stadiums. Since 1927, the schools have carved ten different wooden turtles, each one carrying the scores of the games played during the season. It is also the second-oldest trophy in the Big Ten, trailing the Little Brown Jug between Michigan and Minnesota, which dates back to 1903.

The Ohio State-Illinois rivalry is one of the oldest in college football, but over time, the deep history of the Illibuck faded from national conversation as fans focused on Michigan. Despite a seven-year gap on the gridiron from 2018 to 2024, prolonged by divisional scheduling and a 2020 COVID-19 cancellation, the 124-year history and the wooden turtle tradition remain central to both programs.

Before modern schedule changes, this matchup was one of the Big Ten’s longest continuous series, serving as the final regular-season game for both teams from 1919 through 1933.

Ohio State currently leads the overall series 69-30-4, with a dominant stretch from 1968 through 1982, where the Buckeyes won 15 straight games. The Buckeyes have also won the last ten meetings in the series since 2008, with Illinois’s last win coming in 2007.

The unranked Illinois team, led by quarterback Juice Williams, walked into Columbus and beat the No. 1 team by 28-21 in 2007, being the last time Illinois held the Illibuck. The last time Ohio State and Illinois played before last year was in 2017, when the Buckeyes won 52-14.

The Illibuck stands as one of college football’s classic trophies, dating back to 1925, but recent Big Ten expansion almost erased it from the schedule. This Saturday, September 26, marks only their third time in nine years, proving how modern college football changes are pushing old Midwest traditions into the background.

Both teams enter Saturday with high stakes for their season’s trajectory. For Ohio State, securing a strong win helps show recovery after blowing a fourth-quarter lead against Texas, keeping their playoff hopes alive. For Illinois, pulling off an upset in Columbus would make a huge statement in the Big Ten’s new era and prove they can compete with top programs.

Injuries loom large for both teams heading into Saturday

Beyond the history and the rivalry, both programs are dealing with injury concerns heading into the matchup. For Ohio State, those concerns involve multiple starters and could create weak spots in an Illinois defense that relies on movement and pressure.

On the Buckeyes’ side, right tackle Philip Daniels and defensive end Zion Grady were both listed as questionable after going down against Texas in Week 2and sitting out the Kent State game entirely. Tight end Bennett Christian is already ruled out, along with offensive linemen Jaxon Powell and Vasasn Washington.

On the Illinois side, receiver Jayshon Platt is doubtful, while multiple offensive linemen, including starters Maika Matelau and Brandon Henderson, remain questionable, which could be a problem if Ohio State’s pass rush finds its footing and poses a real challenge.

With injury concerns and red-zone issues still hanging over Ohio State, Saturday could be more competitive than history. The Buckeyes have won nine straight games against Illinois, but they still need to play a less sloppy game against the historic rival.