ILL-OSU Game Notes | Gameday Central | Rivalry Trophies

This Saturday, Illinois and Ohio State will play for the coveted Illibuck rivalry trophy, one of Illinois' three trophy games.

• Ohio State leads the "Illibuck" series, which started in 1925, with a 64-23-2 mark. 

• "Illibuck" is – or was – a turtle, destined for long life, it was hoped. But the wear and tear of traveling between Champaign-Urbana and Columbus was too much, even for a hardy marine reptile. "Illibuck" died in the spring of 1927 and his successor is now a wooden replica. In addition to the member of the winning team hoisting the trophy after the game, members of two junior honorary societies, Bucket and Dipper of Ohio State and Atius-Sachem of Illinois, meet at halftime of each Fighting Illini-Buckeye game to present the "Illibuck" trophy to the winning school from the previous matchup. 

• Illinois last took the "Illibuck" with a 28-21 win at Columbus in 2007, but Ohio State took it back with a 30-20 win in Champaign in 2008 and has retained it the last seven meetings.

• The Fighting Illini also play for "The Cannon" against Purdue and the "Land of Lincoln Trophy" against Northwestern. 

The #Illibuck series between #illini & Buckeyes dates back to 1925.

Originally, the trophy was a live ??, but in 1927 it changed to a wooden replica.

The more you know ?? pic.twitter.com/tiRcCIiQWY

— Illini Football (@IlliniFootball) November 14, 2017