Posted: 11/12/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Brad Vest Illinois' Jacob Willis dives for a touchdown after catching a pass over Ohio State's Chimdi Chekwa for a touchdown to tie the game 14-14 during the first half of Saturday's game in Columbus. Illinois is up 21-14 at the half.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Illinois football team added its biggest victim to its revenge tour, upending the No. 1 team in the country on the road with big contributions from a few of its freshmen.

In the week leading up to the game, Illini head coach Ron Zook was asked if his talented group of freshmen and sophomores would be intimidated playing at Ohio Stadium for the first time.

Zook felt his players wouldn't be intimidated but would welcome the challenge of competing against the top-ranked team in the country in its own stadium.

They took the challenge head on.

"I am so proud of our team and of how our coaching staff prepared us for this game," Zook said. "The players did what we asked them to do. It is definitely a different story from two years ago when we played here. It is evident we have made some progress and the team did what we had to do to come away with a win."

True freshmen Brian Gamble and Marcus Thomas and sophomore Marques Wilkins all stepped up when it counted most.

Gamble and Wilkins combined to catch four passes for 58 yards and two touchdowns, while Thomas - who replaced an injured Vontae Davis - made his first interception of his career and caused another with a deflection in the end zone during the third quarter.

Gamble also led the Illini with three receptions in the game for 27 yards and his first career touchdown at the end of the first half that gave the Illini a 21-14 halftime lead.

With freshman wide receiver Arrelious Benn tightly covered most of the game and held to only one catch for seven yards, Gamble became one of sophomore quarterback Juice Williams' primary targets.

"Guys have to step up," Zook said. "When it becomes rough, we always talk about a time of opportunity. A lot of times, guys get down and they're upset because they're not playing, and we always tell them you never know, just keep playing. When your opportunity comes you have to be ready, and I'm so proud of those guys because they made big plays, and Juice put it on them."

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