Ohio State opens Big Ten play Saturday at home, and the matchup comes with a few things the Buckeyes still need to sort out.
Illinois brings a 2-1 record into Ohio Stadium for the noon kickoff, with the game set to air on FOX. Ohio State is also 2-1 after cruising through the non-conference stretch against two MAC teams and taking a major hit in between with the collapse at Texas.
That leaves Ryan Day’s team heading into league play with some real questions to answer. The Buckeyes need to show whether the pass rush can consistently get home, whether the running game can handle short-yardage situations, and why the offense still looks unsettled in the red zone.
"It doesn't matter what the score is, it doesn't matter what the game is, or who the opponent is," OSU coach Ryan Day said. "We just have to make sure that everybody re-bites, re-focuses, and finishes in the fourth quarter.
Now, everybody look at each other in the eye, understand what's at stake, and know that we're playing for each other. And that's something I'm going to continue to hammer with these guys, because it's about the team.
It's about our tribe. It's us coming together, playing for each other, and what are you willing to sacrifice for your teammate?"
Day has reason to want a cleaner showing this week, because the schedule tightens up quickly. Ohio State heads to Iowa next week for a road game at Kinnick Stadium, a place long known as one of the toughest environments in the Big Ten. That game on Oct. 3 will kick off at 3:30 p.m.
In Other News...
Ohio States Easy Win Couldnt Quiet One Big Concern
Ohio State handled Kent State 59-3 and put the game away early, taking a 35-0 lead into halftime and never letting the outcome feel in doubt. The Buckeyes still found enough balance to lean on the run, finishing with 145 rushing yards on 38 attempts, with Bo Jackson leading the way with 73 yards and a touchdown.
Even in a blowout, though, the ground game remains a point worth watching. Ohio States rushing offense is still inconsistent overall, sitting 79th nationally at just under 159 yards per game, and that leaves a gap between what this roster can be and what it has shown so far. The schedule will get less forgiving from here, and the Buckeyes will need more than a comfortable win to answer that concern. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Got A Clear Warning About Illinois Saturday
Illinois followed its loss to Duke with a much cleaner performance against Southern Illinois, and the part that should have Ohio State paying attention is how much more settled the Illini looked at the line of scrimmage. The offensive line showed progress, the run defense was sturdier, and the overall operation came across as a team that had already made some useful corrections before the matchup in Columbus.
Katin Houser also gave Illinois a steadier passing game by spreading the ball around, which matters because it hints at a more functional offense than the one that stumbled a week earlier. The defense, meanwhile, flashed enough improvement against the run to suggest this is not a team the Buckeyes can afford to overlook, even if the bigger question still hangs over whether those adjustments travel against a much faster and more talented opponent. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Fans Got A Big Noon Reminder Nobody Wanted
A rout should have sounded like a showcase, but Ohio States 59-3 win over Kent State came with a broadcast that drew as much attention as the score. FOX Sports announcer Gus Johnson delivered the game in a flat, muted tone, and he also made a factual mistake while discussing a players touchdown history, a rough combination in a matchup that was already struggling to hold viewers attention.
The bigger issue is one college football keeps circling back to every fall: games like this are increasingly hard to sell, even for a blueblood with a massive fan base. Ohio State can only do so much when the opponent is overmatched, and the broadcast only amplified the sense that fans, and maybe networks, would rather see a more competitive nonconference slate than another predictable Saturday afternoon tune-up. [Read more 🡒]