The top-ranked Buckeyes are back on the road as they travel to Champaign to take on the 17th-ranked Fighting Illini for the Illibuck trophy.

The world-famous Ohio State Buckeyes remain at number one for another week and will travel west for a matchup with the 17th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini. Both teams are full of talent, but this game could’ve been a more hyped-up game had Illinois not gotten blown out a few weeks ago.

The Buckeyes are 5-0 and 2-0 in conference play after defeating the Minnesota Golden Gophers last weekend in Columbus by a score of 42-3. Both the offense and defense put on great displays on a Saturday that saw numerous upsets. The scarlet and gray handled business as usual and now face a tough test with an 11 a.m. local-time kickoff.

The Fighting Illini are 5-1 overall and 2-1 in conference play, coming off a 43-27 win at Purdue last weekend. They have responded pretty well since the 53-point beatdown they suffered on September 20th when they traveled to Bloomington to face the Indiana Hoosiers. They beat a solid USC side two weeks ago and backed that up with a road win at Purdue, carrying some momentum into this matchup.

Both teams have playmakers on both sides of the ball and are hoping to build on some recent success. Let’s break down their most recent games and what to expect in this one early Saturday.

Ryan Day’s Side Stomped the Golden Gophers

Following a trip out west to face Washington, the Buckeyes returned to Columbus and left no doubt against a scrappy Minnesota team. Minnesota had a solid drive early, chewing up the clock and hitting a field goal, which was followed by a missed field goal from Ohio State. That was as close as it ever was.

The Buckeyes responded with touchdown drives of 91 yards and 80 yards, followed by a third touchdown drive in a rout, where they scored on a 44-yard play. They played complementary football throughout the game, lighting up the scoreboard on offense while doing the opposite on the defensive side of the ball.

Julian Sayin displayed his accuracy again, finishing 23/27 for 326 passing yards and three touchdowns. As predicted, Carnell Tate had a breakout game, finishing with nine catches, 183 receiving yards, and a touchdown. Jeremiah Smith added the other two scores through the air while Bo Jackson, Lincoln Kienholz, and CJ Donaldson all found the endzone on the ground. Jackson led the team with 63 rushing yards, and James Peoples added 59 yards on the ground.

The defense didn’t force any turnovers, but never let the Minnesota offense get going after that first drive. They held the Golden Gophers to just 94 passing yards in a game where they knew they would have to throw eventually. When they did throw it, they averaged 3.6 yards per attempt. When they ran the ball, they averaged just 2.7 yards per carry and only 68 rushing yards total. Arvell Reese had the lone sack of the game, and the Buckeyes had seven tackles for loss. Sonny Styles and Payton Pierce led the team with eight and seven tackles, respectively.

Bret Bielema’s Group Back on Track

Illinois opened some eyes when they got embarrassed at Indiana a few weeks ago, but they have responded with two conference wins ahead of their matchup with Ohio State. They found themselves trailing Purdue after the first quarter of the last game, but put together a 27-point second quarter and ultimately won by 16 points.

Quarterback Luke Altmyer had a great game, going 19/22 for 390 passing yards and a touchdown. He found wide receiver Hank Beatty five times for 186 receiving yards and a touchdown. Seven players had at least 15 yards receiving for the Illinois offense. Running back Ca’Lil Valentine led the rushing attack with 95 rushing yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, while running back Kaden Feagin had two rushing touchdowns of his own.

The defense gave up 27 points to a Purdue offense that is still winless in conference play, but forced two fumbles on wide receiver Michael Jackson III, which were huge plays in the game. Ohio-native and defensive lineman Angelo McCullom had a big game with one and a half sacks and tackles for loss. Defensive back Jaheim Clarke led the team with seven total tackles and a tackle for loss.

The defense as a whole has struggled the past few games, giving up 63 to Indiana, 32 to USC, and 27 to Purdue. They won two of the three games, but it is not a good sign as they face the Ohio State and Washington offenses in their next two outings.

What to Expect in This One

The Buckeyes have withstood some early tests and have looked like easily one of the best teams, arguably the best team, in the country. The Fighting Illini’s toughest test ended in a 50+ point loss, with their other test being a two-point victory.

The spread opened at Ohio State -16.5 and is currently set at -14.5. The over/under total opened at 48.5 and is currently at 49.5. I see there being some points for grabs in this one for two talented offenses. The Ohio State defense has been the best unit in the country, and will look to get after Altmyer in this one.

It will be strength on strength when Illinois has the ball, as both their offense and the Ohio State defense have proven themselves. When Ohio State has the ball, Illinois will have its hands full, as they have some injuries and has been prone to giving up big yardage. I think Julian Sayin and the offense will have their way, primarily through the air.

If  Ohio State can jump out to an early lead, this one has the potential to be ugly. I think it will be a pretty competitive game, especially in the first half, with the early 11 am local time start. This is another game where you need your stars to be stars, and I think Ryan Day’s crew will be more than prepared for this one.

Prediction: Ohio State 38 Illinois 13