CORVALLIS, Ore.  The Illinois football team beat Michigan on Wednesday for the first time since 1993.

   Instead of Johnny Johnson to Jim Klein, it was Marc Jackson to Ron Turner.

   Jackson, one of the top high school safeties in the country, picked Illinois over Michigan. He told Illinois coach Turner during a phone call.

   "It was very close," Jackson said. "It was a tossup for a long time between Illinois and Michigan. Those two were in the lead for basically the whole time."

   Usually, the Wolverines get who they want. When Jackson called the Michigan coaches Thursday, they asked, "Why?"

   "They stressed their disappointment," Jackson said.

   Illinois had a few advantages in the battle for Jackson.

   Jackson''s older brother, Bobby, is the team''s starting strong safety. And Illinois offered Marc Jackson a chance to play sooner.

   "He''s not the reason I made the decision," Marc Jackson said of his brother. "It helped a little, but ultimately I made the decision because I thought it would be the place I''d get an opportunity to play the fastest."

   The Illinois coaches haven''t made him promises about playing time. Jackson didn''t expect any.

   "Going in, I know I''m going to have to compete and work really hard to find a spot," Jackson said. "It''s going to be hard, but I''m up to the challenge."

   Illinois loses two of its top four safeties, Mike Gusich and Ivan Benson, to graduation. Bobby Jackson returns at one spot and part-time starter Muhammad Abdullah is back at the other.

   A Jackson-Jackson safety combination appeals to Marc.

   "It''s real clear in my mind that I could see that," Jackson said. "That would be something I''m hoping for."

   The Jackson-Illinois connection might not end with the players. The Jacksons'' father, Robert, is a possibility for the Illini vacancy at receivers coach. Robert Jackson is coordinator of operations at Oregon State and a former assistant at the school.

   "I know the position is open," Marc Jackson said. "Whatever my Dad decides to do, I''m going to stick behind him 100 percent."

Filling up

   Ron Turner is running out of spaces in his 1999 Illinois football recruiting class. The school has 16 of 25 spots filled. Here are the commitments:

Player School Pos.

Jim Bloodworth Warren Hills (N.J.) OL

Carey Davis Hazelwood (Mo.) Central FB

Jim Ferguson Morton C

Marc Jackson Crescent Valley (Ore.) DB

Eric McGoey Wheaton Warrenville South WR

Christian Morton Riverview (Mo.) Gardens QB

Mike O''Brien Chicago Marist DE

Chris Rucks Stevenson OL

Jeff Ruffin Aurora West DL

Jerry Schumacher Chicago Mount Carmel LB

Jacoby Shepherd Tyler (Texas) Junior College DB

Dwayne Smith Rantoul WR-DB

Trayvon Waller El Camino (Calif.) College DB

Dustin Ward Centennial QB

Eugene Wilson Merrillville (Ind.) DB

Lance Young St. Louis Beaumont WR