ILLINOIS

Although some fans in Memorial Stadium thought the whistle blew the play dead before receiver Kyle Hudson fumbled to set up Ohio’s game-winning field goal Saturday, coach Ron Zook isn’t blaming the loss on the officials. “Kyle thought his forward progress was done and it was kind of a hurry-up situation where he was trying to get back on the line,” Zook said. “But the play isn’t over until the whistle blows. The players said the whistle blew, but there’s no way of proving it did.” . . . After having the last three games come down to a field goal with six seconds or less remaining and seeing the two most recent end in defeat, Zook gave his team its second straight day off Monday.