Based on the current AP Top 25, Ohio State faces its biggest test of the season to date on Saturday.
Illinois
Fighting Illini
Illinois is ranked 17th in the country after a 5-1 start to the season, setting up a clash of top-20 teams as the No. 1 Buckeyes travel to Champaign. The Illini will be looking to make up for their 63-10 blowout loss to Indiana in their biggest game so far this season, while the Buckeyes look to extend their winning streak dating back to last season to double digits.
The game will serve as a barometer of how good both teams are as the Illini look for an upset that would put them back in the College Football Playoff conversation, while the Buckeyes look to handle business on the road for the second time this season.
We break down our biggest questions entering the game, the top players we’ll be watching for Ohio State and make some predictions for what we’ll see from the Buckeyes in Champaign.
Questions
Will Ohio State be aggressive passing the ball?
This is the same question I asked before last week’s game, but it’s apropos once again. Ohio State answered this question with a resounding yes last week as Julian Sayin threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns against Minnesota, but playing on the road against a ranked opponent – one that Day has called a top-10-caliber opponent – is a different beast.
When Day was asked about Sayin this week, he said “you’re seeing Julian grow each week” but also noted that “this is going to be another challenge for him on the road, second road game in another really difficult environment.” Does that mean keeping things simpler for Sayin like Day and Brian Hartline did against Texas and Washington, or will the Buckeyes trust him to open it up more now that he has five successful starts under his belt? I expect the offensive pace to be slower against Illinois than it was against Minnesota, but the Buckeyes shouldn’t be afraid to take shots against a struggling Illini defense that ranks 113th nationally in passing yards allowed per game.
– Dan Hope
Will Ohio State’s defense get to Luke Altmyer?
Ryan Day has reiterated several times this week that he “threw out” the Indiana game when evaluating Illinois. I don’t believe him. That’s a message he wanted his players to hear and see so the Buckeyes take their opponent seriously. But behind closed doors and in the film room with coaches, I believe Day and Matt Patricia have analyzed every little detail regarding how Indiana recorded seven sacks (!) against Illinois. The Illini have improved in recent weeks, limiting USC to one sack and Purdue to two, but neither team has game-wreckers like Ohio State. I expect the Buckeyes to get after Altmyer early and often on Saturday.
– Chase Brown
Can the Buckeyes take away Hank Beatty?
Eliminating the No. 1 target of an offense predicated on throwing the football is typically a recipe for success, but it's a bit harder to do when that player operates out of the slot receiver position with extra space to move and lose defenders. That's where the Illinois receiver Beatty, who has the second-most receiving yards in the Big Ten this year (569), plays.
Ohio State nickel Lorenzo Styles Jr. has been fantastic this season so far, outside of one long touchdown he allowed against Ohio. Aside from that 67-yard scoring grab by Chase Hendricks, he's given up just 59 yards in 16 targets in pass coverage per Pro Football Focus, just 3.7 yards per target. He has 17 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup this season.
– Andy Anders
Players to Watch
Brandon Inniss
Dan and Andy can attest that I selected Brandon Inniss as my player to watch before Ohio State’s Wednesday press conference. That’s because I watched USC slot receiver Makai Lemon dominate an Illinois defense without star cornerback Xavier Scott, recording a career-high 11 receptions for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Combine the precedent Lemon set out of the slot with how Jeremiah Smith talked about Inniss this week, and I feel great about this selection.
“We all know on this team that Brandon is a dog,” Smith said on Wednesday. “Hopefully this week he has a week that he should have, and I hope the ball go his way. I know for sure when the ball get in his hands, he’s something dangerous.”
– Chase Brown
Lorenzo Styles Jr.
Styles has drawn more scrutiny than most Ohio State defenders this season, but he’s largely played well outside of the aforementioned touchdown against Ohio. That said, facing Beatty will be his toughest challenge of the season. Assuming Ohio State continues to use Styles as its primary nickelback vs. Illinois, he’ll draw the assignment of covering Beatty on most plays, and he’ll need to be at his best to contain the Illinois standout, who already has 10 catches of 20-plus yards this year.
– Dan Hope
Caden Curry
If there are opportunities to tee off on Altmyer as Chase alluded to, expect Curry – Ohio State's most dominant and disruptive pass rusher so far – to make a big impact. Illinois has allowed the 10th-most sacks per game in the country, 3.2, while Curry already has a team-high five sacks to his credit. A bad combo for Illinois.
– Andy Anders
Predictions
Bo Jackson records his third 100-yard rushing game
Jackson's gotten the lion's share of carries in Ohio State's backfield the last two games, a trend that should continue heading into Champaign. While Washington and Minnesota both possess top-10 run defenses, Illinois is No. 62 in rushing yards allowed per game and No. 84 in yards allowed per carry. Expect a big day for Jackson, especially if Day leans on the run game on the road again.
– Andy Anders
Max Klare catches a touchdown
Ohio State has often had four tight ends on the field when it’s gotten near the goal line this season. Usually, the Buckeyes pound the rock with CJ Donaldson in this formation, but one of these times they’ll have to run a play-action and let Julian Sayin fire a strike to a tight end, right? … right? Whether it happens that way or not, I expect Klare to score his second touchdown of the season on Saturday and continue his recent surge for the Buckeyes.
– Chase Brown
Ohio State forces Luke Altmyer’s first interceptions of the season
Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer hasn’t thrown an interception all year, but I think that changes against the Buckeyes. If Ohio State can build a lead and shut down Illinois’ run game, it’ll force Altmyer to take more chances throwing downfield than he usually does, and I expect the Buckeyes to take advantage with not just one but two interceptions. To be even more specific, I’ll predict that Caleb Downs snags one of those interceptions for his second pick of the year, with either Jaylen McClain or Davison Igbinosun grabbing another.
– Dan Hope
