Buckeyes Hammer Illini, Keep Pace in B10

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Troy Smith threw three touchdown passes and Antonio Pittman ran for two scores to lead No. 12 Ohio State to a 40-2 victory over Illinois on Saturday.<br> <br> Ohio State&#39;s fourth win in a row allowed the Buckeyes (7-2, 5-1) to keep pace with first-place Penn State in the Big Ten with two league games left - against Northwestern and at Michigan.<br> <br> Illinois (2-7, 0-6) lost its seventh game in a row.<br> <br> The Buckeyes piled up 526 yards while holding the Illini to 160. It was the third game in a row the Buckeyes have scored at least 40 points, the first time Ohio State has done that since a four-game streak in 1995. <br> <br> Smith completed 13-of-21 passes for a career-high 298 yards, and ran for 55 yards on seven carries. His scoring passes covered 41 and 3 yards to Santonio Holmes, and 73 yards to Ted Ginn Jr., who totaled 138 yards on four catches.<br> <br> Over the past month, Smith has completed 65 percent of his passes for over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns.<br> <br> Pittman totaled 96 yards on 22 carries, scoring on runs of 16 and 8 yards. He had not scored a touchdown all year until getting into the end zone twice a week ago in a 45-31 win at Minnesota.<br> <br> Ginn, who had earlier fumbled a punt, returned the second-half kickoff 65 yards to help set up Smith&#39;s second scoring pass of the day to Holmes, a 3-yarder that gave the Buckeyes a 19-0 lead. <br> <br> On the extra point, the snap went through the hands of holder A.J. Trapasso and Illinois strong safety Kevin Mitchell picked up the loose ball and ran 75 yards for a defensive conversion and the Illini&#39;s only points.<br> <br> The Illini returned that gift on their next possession. On fourth-and-6 at the 24, punter Steve Weatherford faked the kick and rolled right. He was stopped short of the first down at the 29.<br> <br> Four plays later, Smith faked a quick pitch to the right and then wheeled to flip the ball to Pittman who swooped around left end, took a hit, and then fought his way across the goal line to complete the 16-yard run. This time the Buckeyes did convert the point-after kick for a 26-2 lead.<br> <br> To that point, Illinois quarterback Tim Brasic had completed 10-of-11 passes - but for only 16 yards.<br> <br> Brasic finished 18-of-24 for 92 yards without an interception. He was sacked five times for losses totaling 31 yards, with linebacker A.J. Hawk picking up two of the sacks.<br> <br> On Ohio State&#39;s next possession, Smith tossed a 50-yard pass to Ginn, who was all alone 5 yards clear of defender Sharriff Abdullah. Ginn waited on the pass, caught it and then easily coasted in to complete the 73-yard scoring play.<br> <br> Ohio State led 13-0 at the half, scoring on field goals of 29 and 22 yards by Josh Huston before Smith tossed a pass into the left flat that Holmes turned into a 41-yard touchdown.<br> <br> The Buckeyes were poised to add to their lead except for a late turnover. Illinois was forced to punt from deep in its end zone with just under two minutes left in the half, but Weatherford&#39;s kick was mishandled by Ginn and Cooper recovered at the Illinois 48.<br> <br> © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.