COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Linebacker Ty Myers returned a bad pass by Craig Krenzel for a touchown and Kurt Kittner threw a pair of touchdown passes as 12th-ranked Illinois rolled to its sixth straight win Saturday with a 34-22 Big Ten victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Ohio State played without quarterback Steve Bellisari, who allegedly made a serious lapse in judgment on early Friday, when he was charged with drunken driving and was suspended indefinitely by the team.
Bellisari's troubles could not come at a worse time for the Buckeyes, who were forced to turn to a pair of backup quarterbacks in Scott McMullen and Krenzel.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel stressed that his team would rise to the occasion in Bellisari's absence, and the Buckeyes did that for three quarters, taking a 22-21 lead into the final period.
But Illinois (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) eventually wore down the Buckeyes and took the lead for good on a one-yard TD run by Carey Davis early in the fourth quarter.
Ohio State had an opportunity to drive for the potential go-ahead score late in the final quarter. But Krenzel apparently did not see Myers, who picked off a pass and leaped two yards into the end zone to ice the game for Illinois.
Krenzel, a roommate of Bellisari who had not thrown a pass all season, completed 11-of-23 passes for 164 yards and was picked off twice.
Illinois can clinch the Big Ten title and secure a berth in a BCS bowl if it defeats Northwestern on Thursday and Michigan loses one of its remaining two games.
Jonathan Wells carried 23 times for 192 yards and a score for Ohio State (6-4, 4-3), which controlled its own destiny in the Big Ten race before Saturday's loss.
