Ohio State’s Big Ten opener against Illinois ended with the Buckeyes keeping the Illibuck in Columbus, and the game quickly turned into the Jeremiah Smith show. But beneath the headline numbers, there were a few clear proof points that showed how Ohio State pulled away - and where there’s still room to grow, especially on defense.
Julian Sayin wasted no time getting comfortable. Through the first three games of the season, his high-water mark for completions was 21 against Ball State.
He matched that total before halftime against Illinois, finishing the first half 21-of-27 for 272 yards and three touchdowns. The Sayin-to-Smith connection did most of the damage early, with Smith hauling in eight catches for 150 yards and three scores in the opening two quarters.
Sayin’s final line was 27 completions, his most since Nov. 8 of last season, when he went 27-of-33 in a win at Purdue.
The Buckeyes also delivered their most defining drive of the afternoon when they needed to settle the game down. Up 14-7 just over two minutes into the second quarter, Ohio State answered with a 19-play, 96-yard touchdown march that ate 8:31 off the clock and stretched the lead to 21-7.
It was a long, methodical possession, and it included three plays that gained at least 12 yards. From there, Ohio State never again led by just one score.
On the other side of the ball, the Buckeyes’ defensive backs made life difficult for Illinois quarterback Katin Houser. Houser completed 21-of-37 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown, but Ohio State’s coverage repeatedly forced him into tough throws and broken-up attempts.
Jaylen McClain led the way with four pass breakups, while Devin Sanchez added three. Jermaine Mathews Jr. had two, and Christian Alliegro, TJ Alford and Jay Timmons each chipped in one.
Altogether, Ohio State recorded 12 pass breakups, meaning 75% of Houser’s 16 incompletions came on balls the Buckeyes got a hand to.
Those 12 PBUs were the most by Ohio State since the Silver Bullets broke up 15 passes against Indiana in 2012.
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The early returns have been strong enough that Timmons is already being talked about as a prospect with a very high ceiling down the road. His play against Texas stood out as another sign that the moment has not been too big for him, even in an environment where young defensive backs are usually brought along more slowly. For Ohio State, the bigger question now is how far his rapid rise can continue as the schedule gets tougher and the expectations keep growing. [Read more 🡒]
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Kye Graham kept the offense humming with 284 passing yards and three touchdowns, while Wayne backed it up with timely defensive stops and scoring drives to put the game away. For Ohio State, Browns recent stretch is the encouraging part, because the Buckeyes are getting a look at a receiver who is already helping his high school team settle in and build momentum after an unusual start to the season. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Fans Will Love The Standard Indiana Just Exposed
Curt Cignetti is already talking like a coach who knows success changes the conversation. After Indianas recent surge, the Hoosiers head coach used a message to the fan base to push back on rising expectations, pointing to the programs history of thin crowds and asking supporters not to grumble about lopsided wins. It was a blunt reminder that, around college football, a winning stretch can quickly turn into a referendum on how much winning is enough.
For Ohio State fans, the contrast lands cleanly. Ryan Day has made his own standard public and unmistakable, setting a much higher bar for the Buckeyes than simply stacking victories and keeping people content. So while Cignetti was managing the temperature in Bloomington, his comments served as a useful backdrop for what Ohio State expects of itself, and why the conversation in Columbus usually starts where other programs hope to finish. [Read more 🡒]