Collin Dixon is headed back to Ohio on Saturday with a résumé that keeps growing every time he steps on the field.
The Illinois wide receiver from Tallmadge, Ohio, will get his first chance in this matchup against Ohio State, and the trip brings him back near the place where his football path started. At 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds, the senior has climbed steadily through the Illinois program, turning himself into one of the most compelling names in college football this season.
His road to this point took a few turns. Dixon originally committed to Wisconsin before flipping to Bret Bielema and the Fighting Illini.
He redshirted in 2023, then played in all 13 games in 2024 and started 10 of them. That season, he caught 18 passes for 264 yards.
Last season, his role expanded even more, and he led Illinois in receiving touchdowns while posting 35 receptions for 548 yards.
That rise has not gone unnoticed inside the program. Dixon was voted one of Illinois’ six captains heading into the season, a clear sign of how much respect he has earned from teammates and staff.
Through three games this year, he has taken another big leap. Dixon has 25 catches for 367 yards and leads the country with seven touchdown receptions. In the process, he has already broken Illinois’ home record for touchdown catches in a season, and he did it in just three games.
For Ohio State, the assignment is simple on paper, though much tougher in practice: force somebody else to make the difference. The Katin Houser-to-Dixon connection has been one of the most efficient in the country, and the Buckeyes may be favored in Saturday’s game, but they are preparing for a serious test on the other side.
A test shaped inside state lines.
In Other News...
Ohio State Freshman Legend Bey May Have A Bigger Problem Than Playing Time
Legend Beys first season at Ohio State has already been shaped by interruption, and not just because of the usual freshman learning curve. After an earlier suspension and an ankle injury, the running back has been working from behind for playing time, and his role has stayed limited as the Buckeyes have moved through the season. Even in areas where young players can sometimes find a foothold, his path has been narrow.
The latest sign came against Illinois, when Bey did not play and another player handled his kick-return work instead. For a freshman trying to earn more than a spot in the rotation, that kind of move can say plenty about where he stands with the staff. If the concerns run deeper than health or depth-chart traffic, it could become a bigger issue for Bey as he looks to settle his future in Columbus. [Read more 🡒]
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The next wave looks just as promising, if a little different in how it is forming. Ohio State has five commitments in the 2028 class, four of them top 100 prospects, led by quarterback Christopher Vargas at No. 4 nationally, and even the 2029 class already has a foothold with wide receiver Austin Miller, ranked No. 50. For a program that has long built its roster on blue-chip talent, the real question is how this early momentum will translate when the class rankings and the pressure both start to rise. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Has A Growing Running Back Problem Behind Ja'Kobi Jackson
Ohio State got the win over Illinois in Week 4, but the running back room left Ryan Day with a lot to sort through. The group finished with 122 rushing yards, and Ja'Kobi Jackson accounted for the best of it with 56 yards and a touchdown, giving the Buckeyes a steadier presence than they got from the rest of the rotation.
What followed was more revealing than the box score. Day publicly singled out sophomores Bo Jackson and Isaiah West, questioning their effort when compared with Ja'Kobi Jackson, and the backdrop here is not just one uneven afternoon but a position group dealing with injuries and inconsistent play. For Ohio State, the bigger concern is whether there is a reliable answer behind Ja'Kobi Jackson, because right now the depth chart looks far less settled than a contender would prefer. [Read more 🡒]