Ohio State is heading into the first Big Ten game on its schedule with a chance to clean up a few lingering issues, and Illinois is the team standing across from it Saturday at the Shoe.
The Buckeyes have played only one truly strong opponent so far this season, Texas, and that one got away in the fourth quarter. Since then, they answered with a blowout of Kent State.
Now comes a conference opener against an Illinois team that has beaten two bad teams and lost to Duke. It’s the next test, and it should tell Ohio State a little more about where things stand.
Kickoff is set for noon ET on FOX, with Ohio State serving as the Big Noon Kickoff game for the second straight week. The game is also available on foxsports.com, the FOX Sports App, FOX One, and through Fubo TV.
Oddsmakers aren’t expecting much drama. DraftKings has Ohio State as a 27.5-point favorite, with the over/under at 53.5. The Buckeyes covered last week as 52.5-point favorites against Kent State.
What Ohio State still needs to sort out is pretty clear: a more consistent first-half run game. That’s the area that could use the most work, and this matchup offers another chance to make progress there. If the Buckeyes can get that part moving, it would ease some of the frustration around the fanbase and help set them up better for Iowa.
Even with the Texas loss hanging around, Ohio State still looks like one of the best teams in the country. The expectation here is not about whether it wins. It’s about how comfortably it wins, and whether the offense shows anything new on the ground.
There isn’t much reason to expect a dramatic breakthrough in the run game, but Ohio State still has a huge talent edge on both sides of the ball. Bret Bielema is trying to keep Illinois competitive, but the Buckeyes have more than enough to handle this one.
The pick here is Ohio State 42, Illinois 14. The Illini should be able to score some points, but the Buckeyes ought to take control in the second half. If Julian Sayin and the starters do what they’re capable of doing early, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Luke Fahey get some run later.
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Ohio State Is Closing In On A Priority RB Battle
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The recruitment remains open-ended, with no commitment date set, but the Buckeyes are clearly in the thick of it and are widely viewed as a leading contender. For Ohio State, landing a back of that caliber would reinforce both the long-term roster plan and the programs ability to keep winning the kind of battles that matter most on the trail. [Read more 🡒]