Ken Dilger was a little dazed and awfully confused. Just five minutes into Indianapolis' game with New England two weeks ago, Dilger got whacked in the head.

Through four years of NFL football and countless college and high school games, the Colts tight end and former Illinois standout never had suffered a concussion. Until now.

The broadcast is about to start, and Ron Turner can't get in the side door. That's one of the hazards of taking your radio show on the road.

The Illinois football coach goes to the front door of the 4-H House and politely rings the bell. He makes it into the dining room at 6:05 p.m., just in time for the start of his weekly show.

   The Big Ten''s hopes for a second consecutive national title ended Saturday in the arms of happy Michigan State cornerback Renaldo Hill.

   Ohio State''s Joe Germaine couldn''t pull off another miracle. The Buckeyes lost their spot at the top of the national polls.

   You won''t see Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany crying about the loss. His league''s tie to the Rose Bowl remains true for another year.

   CHAMPAIGN  The happy Illinois football players floated into the football office Sunday. They had plenty of reasons to be smiling.

   First, they didn''t have to practice. For the first time since the season started, coach Ron Turner gave them Sunday off.

CHAMPAIGN – He politely passed when asked if he was ready to go yard-for-yard with Sedrick Irvin in two weeks.

"I don't want to get into that," Steve Havard said with a laugh.

CHAMPAIGN – Ron Turner and his suddenly opportunistic Illini applied the "Great Momentum Changer" to unsuspecting Indiana on Saturday.

Drawing abreast of the Hoosiers, 7-7, on Steve Havard's short touchdown burst with nine seconds left in the first quarter, the home forces caught the Hoosiers napping with an onside kick that bounced and dribbled between the legs of a surprised Indiana lineman. Caroming near the west sideline, the ball wound up in the hands of Illini cornerback Johnny Rogers.

There's been lots of "youth talk" associated with the Illini football team.

Well, the youth brigade played only a supplementary role in what happened here Saturday. College football is, and always has been, a game where maturity counts.

CHAMPAIGN – When he packs for Michigan State in two weeks, Ron Turner is going to take a big suitcase.

Besides all the usual coach stuff – whistle, playbook, headset – Turner will need some space for a lucky coin, a lucky singer and a lucky movie.