OSU leads the all-time series 63-30-4
FG kickers (combined) are 4 out 8 and 2 out of 5 beyond 40yards.
WR Lankford has 29 catches for 413 yards and 5 tds
top 3 RB's all average over 4 yards/carry with Donovonn Young leading the group (96 carries 400 yards and 2 tds)
QB's Scheelhaase and O'Toole are combining for : 146/220 66% completions for 1,378 yards TDs and 8 ints
I have no idea on the Illini injury status:
I know I don't want them touching this:
Nobody really wants to touch that....
If Denard Robinson isn't careful with spooning all that food into his mouth, he's going to end up lookin' like Whoopi Goldberg
They are a spread offense. Spread O's have killed us this year. Also Beckman was coach at Toledo that also exposed our defense last year.
If we come to play,and don't overlook Illinios,we win handily.Better coach,better schemes,better talent.If we look past them, could be another Indiana situation.But with the way Urbs' and the players' take,one game at a time,seeing each and every opponent in front of them,Don't expect a letdown.
SCOTTC.
If there is any cause for concern, it is that Illinois is a bad team. Ohio State has not played well this year against bad teams.
Recall what Beckman did at Toledo, and Toledo giving us a scare at home early in the season last year....
I don't think he has the weapons to get his offense where it was last year at Toledo, but we've had problems defending short screen passes, so, I guess that scares me a little.
Only concern is chance of injury to one of our guys, especially Braxton. Rod Smith goes for over 100, which is not a concern, just a prediction.
Nothing. Seriously, they suck.
My only concern is with our team - they do like playing down to their competition against bad teams, so we'll see. We saw this team really play together in that 3rd quarter vs. State Penn...if we see that Saturday, we will crush them. If not, we'll get what we have usually gotten this year vs. bad teams - a 14ish point win that people are unsatisfied with.
This year's Toledo team and even last year's Toledo team would beat this year's Illinois team.
Class of 2010.
dating back to 1990, OSU is 9-1 in it's last 10 trips to Memorial Stadium
dating back to 1990, Illinois is 6-4 here:
I truly think that this team has gotten over that hump of playing down to bad teams and that they will run downhill on ILL. all day.
Expect Kenny G to be playing sweet soul music by the beginning of ther 4th quarter and Rod Smith to carry 15 times on Saturday.
Book it !
^^^we are playing at home
^^^ Ha ha LOL@me ........ total brain fart.
hahahahaha Cinci beat me too it !
They can hit Braxton Miller on his knee. Other than that-nothing. This is a 'hot pile of garbage' year for Illinois as opposed to the "We went to the Rose Bowl because OSU went to the national title game!" year.
OSU is going to straight up murder Illinois asses this Saturday.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
Agree witht the earlier posts, they do nothing that should concern anyone. If I was the University of Buffalo then ya maybe I would have some concerns about Illinois.
I consider myself pretty pessimistic about most games (thought we might lost to purdue, thought psu was going to beat us), but this is the most confident I've been about a game this season. Illinois is garbage and the worst team in a bad big10 this year.
yikes! I was reading some things on the Galloping Ghost Football Fan Forum: Illinois Scout. There are 2 threads that changed my mind about the game:
Illinois @ the OSU Predictions-
http://forums.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=169&f=2617&t=10233963
Big Beckman Story in the Chicago Tribune-
http://forums.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=169&f=2617&t=9996455
I now feel confident, barring major injuries, OSU should easily cover the point spread.
Illinois fans debating who will be better in 5 years Illinois or Penn State:
http://forums.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=169&f=2617&t=10188049&p=2
Seems most Illini fans want Beckman out already, A.S.A.P.
Beckman almost beat us last year and Illinois runs a spread which our defense hasn't looked great against all year
I think Matt Campbell has/had more to do with Toledo's success than Beckman.
The biggest concern I have about Illi...yyaawwwnnn.....zz...zzz....zzzzzzzz
An angry fan...rooting for an angry team...led by angry coaches
Absolutely nothing
The thing that worries me is we play against lesser opponents seemingly with less intensity. Illinois has given us trouble before and given our close games with UAB, Pursue, and Indiana I'll take nothing for granted.
My biggest worry is that they'll drop that turtle and seriously hurt someone.
ha! nothing like a shot to the groin for a cheap laugh. i think we win but the spread is like 28. hopefully theres no let down after last weeks big win
mark may wins douchebag of the year... again
It's all fun and games until someone gets smacked in the nuts with a wiffle ball bat!!!! I almost spewed coffee when I saw that!!
An angry fan...rooting for an angry team...led by angry coaches
If OSU doesn't roll Illinois by at least three TDs, expect us to drop out of the top 10.
My second biggest concern? Illinois always has a good basketball team.
"Here officer, hold my beer while I find my license."
No reason for you guys to lose any sleep over the Illini. It requires some talent for the magic to have a chance. This game will be out of hand half way through the 3rd quarter.
Those who stay will be CHAMPIONS!
~Bo Schembechler
@johnblair - I just hit your link on the Illinois fans predictions &...damn. They have OSU winning by more than we have OSU winning by. That's a pretty sad group right now.
The world is full of kings & queens who'll blind your eyes & steal your dreams - it's heaven & hell - Ronnie James Dio.
@Hail - out of hound
For those talking about how Toledo did against us last year, what is the one HUGE difference between this team and that one? (Other than 3 wins so far and no Bauserbombs...)
You can kill a fly with your slipper or a cannon. Either way, the fly dies. -Ramzy
IN had its offense, PUR had its OSU mojo, CAL had an experienced coach used to pressure. I think Beckman is a better coach than he is showing, but this year he is only as good as he looks. And IL is only as good as it looks. If I had to pick something to fear it woulld be Scheelhaase - in 2010 and 2011 he was capable, and the 2012 Buckeyes do not like facing capable passers. Otherwise, if we play as we did against UAB we will win but not come close to covering the spread. If we play as we did against PUR we might cover the spread or might not. It's not IL I'm worried about, it's the Buckeyes.
We don't need to worry about Illinois, we need to worry about OSU. If we play our game and execute, we will be fine. If we have an off game or take quarters off, we are beatable by every team
Agreed Optimisitic^^^^ they can't beat themselves.
On another note, I love your pic/avatar...I love Raven Riley...she's dirty but hot at the same time;-)
"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you."
"I love football. I think it is most wonderful game in world and I despise to lose."
Woody Hayes 1913 - 1987
Im not scared of Illinois. Im scared of the Buckeyes beating themselves like they have several times this year already. Dropped passes, dropped ints, defensive breakdowns, poor tackling, fumbles. It can all happen again and it seems to happen against inferior opponents.
"if irony were made of strawberries, we' d all be drinking a lot of smoothies right now."
Hopefully Braxton puts up 250 passing 3 Tds and another 150 rushing and 2 TDs.
The fact that 18 of there 30 wins are here in Columbus. That and the fact that in the past ten years we have been the far superior team in all matchups but have only really killed them twice. Our avg. margin of victory in the past ten years is only 9.7 points. Illinois will almost always give us a close game.
Not much this year...however, Illibuck's points^^^^ are why I do hold out some optimism (but just a little). I'm going this Saturday and don't expect anything like what's happened in the past. I was at the 2007 game when OSU was undefeated. It wasn't fun seeing Juice Williams and Rashard Mendenhall running all over our thought to be pretty damn good defense at the time (not to mention, Todd Boeckman threw 3 Ints). It shouldn't be like that at all this weekend...
"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you."
"I love football. I think it is most wonderful game in world and I despise to lose."
Woody Hayes 1913 - 1987
They seem to always play us tough. 1st night game in shoe they were up like 24-0 in 2nd qtr, but then Byars took over. Great game.
Last time I saw Illinois, their QB was still having problems with that ankle that has limited him all season. He certainly did not move like the guy that I saw last year. He seems to be playing on one wheel. We should be able to get pressure on him and with limited mobility, sacks are a comin'.
I'm worried Tim Beckman is going to drop his SKOAL can on the sideline and one of our guys is going to trip and hurt their ankle in the process.
JT