Illinois coach Lovie Smith was an Ohio State assistant for one of the most celebrated games in the Illinois-Ohio State series. Therein, Smith was on Ohio State's sideline for a record performance by Eddie George against the Illini, the centerpiece of Eddie George's Heisman campaign.
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Long-time Ohio State fans may remember Illinois was arguably the biggest thorn in John Cooper's side early into his tenure as an Ohio State coach. Indeed, Ohio State lost six of the first seven contests to Illinois since John Cooper took over the program in 1988.