CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Dan Stultz kicked Ohio State past Illinois and into another pivotal matchup with Michigan.

        Stultz hit a 34-yard field goal with six seconds left Saturday as the No.13 Buckeyes beat the Illini 24-21 to move into a four-way tie with Purdue, Northwestern and Michigan atop the Big Ten.

        “This is huge for us,” said Steve Bellisari, who said the Buckeyes learned at halftime — while they were down 14-12 — that league-leading Northwestern and Purdue lost earlier. “We knew what we had to play for.”

        The Buckeyes (8-2, 5-2) responded, especially Bellisari. Illinois intercepted three of his passes to protect its fragile lead, but he recovered to lead tying and winning drives.

        Stultz, who made four field goals in the game, kicked a 17-yarder with 6:05 left to tie the game a 21.

        “You can't second guess our heart and you can't second guess Dan Stultz's heart today,” said Stultz, clutching a game ball.

        The victory sends Ohio State into yet another season-ending, and season-turn ing, game against Michigan Saturday in Columbus.

        “I'm a happy guy,” Ohio State coach John Cooper said. “We're playing for a share of the championship.”

        The loss keeps Illinois (5-5, 2-5) one victory short of bowl eligibility. The Illini have lost three Big Ten games by four points or less.

        Christian Morton returned the opening kickoff to Illinois' 42. Four plays later, Rocky Harvey sidestepped two tacklers for a 29-yard yard Illinois touchdown run.

        Bobby Jackson stopped Jerry Westbrooks short on fourth-and-goal from the 2 on the Buckeyes' first drive, forcing them to settle for Stultz's 19-yard field goal.

        Fred Wakefield's interception stopped one Ohio State drive. And after a blocked punt gave the Bucks the ball at Illinois' 43, the offense stalled and Stultz kicked a 41-yarder to make it 7-6.

        Illinois scored on its next drive when Antoineo Harris ran 25 yards for a touchdown to put Illinois ahead 14-6 with 12:44 left.

        Eugene Wilson dove to intercept Bellisari at the goal line on the next drive. But, given another chance with 2:11 remaining, Bellisari drove the Buckeyes 80 yards and connected with Darnell Sanders for a 1-yard touchdown play. The Buckeyes went for two points, but Jamar Martin dropped Bellisari's pass in the end zone, leaving Illinois ahead 14-12 at the half.

        Ohio State scored on its first drive in the second half on a 7-yard pass from Bellisari to Sanders. But OSU again failed to convert on a 2-point conversion and led 18-14.

        After Wilson leaped above Vanness Provitt to intercept Bellisari at the Illinois 15, Kurt Kittner threw 47 yards to Greg Lewis at the 13. But two plays later, Mike Doss knocked Kittner from the game with a helmet-to-helmet hit as Kittner slid for the first down at the Ohio State 2.

        Kittner lay still for almost 10 minutes, before walking off the field. He was taken to the hospital with a possible concussion and and was expected to be released late Saturday.

        Dustin Ward replaced Kittner and, two plays later, passed to Jameel Cook for the go-ahead touchdown with 14:21 left.

        Ohio State converted a fourth-and-1 at the Illinois 22, and drove to the Illinois 5. Twice, Bellisari failed to leap over the line from the 1, and Cooper opted for a 17-yard field goal from Stultz that tied it at 21 with 6:05 left.

        “We kicked the field goal to tie because Kittner was out of the game,” Cooper said. “They were putting the ball in the hands of a young quarterback.”

        Ohio St. ....... 3 9 6 6—24

        Illinois ....... 7 7 0 7—21

        First Quarter

        Ill—Harvey 29 run (Tubbs kick), 13:25.

        OSU—FG Stultz 19, 8:33.

        Second Quarter

        OSU—FG Stultz 41, 14:42.

        Ill-Harris 25 run (Tubbs kick), 12:44.

        OSU—Sanders 1 pass from Bellisari (pass failed), :23.

        Third Quarter

        OSU—Sanders 7 pass from Bellisari (pass failed), 8:21.

        Fourth Quarter

        Ill—Cook 1 pass from Ward (Tubbs kick), 14:17.

        OSU—FG Stultz 17, 6:05.

        OSU—FG Stultz 34, :00.

        A—61,207.

        INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

        RUSHING—Ohio St., Wells 27-131, Combs 18-65, Bellisari 10-27, Westbrooks 2-0. Illinois, Harris 17-93, Harvey 6-59, Cook 2-2, Kittner 5-(minus 2).

        PASSING—Ohio St.,Bellisari 23-38-3-251. Illinois, Kittner 13-26-1-166, Ward 3-4-0-15.

        RECEIVING—Ohio St., Wells 5-50, Cacchio 4-45, Provitt 3-30, Sanders 3-25, Rambo 2-43, Westbrooks 2-17, Combs 1-15, Germany 1-13, Carter 1-7, Locke 1-6. Illinois, Moorehead 4-32, Cook 4-18, Lewis 2-51, Whitman 2-35, McGoey 1-25, Harris 1-11, Smith 1-9, Harvey 1-0.

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