Betting Line: Ohio State -15.5 | O/U 48.5
Next Saturday begins a two-game road trip for Ohio State, and first up on the docket is a date with No. 17 Illinois on FOX’s Big Noon in Champaign.
Ohio State moves to 5-0 coming off an impressive 42-3 victory over Minnesota, suffocating the Gophers on defense while airing it out on offense. For Illinois, they have bounced back from a thorough beatdown at the hands of Indiana with back-to-back victories over USC and Purdue.
Illini quarterback Luke Altmeyer had a super efficient day in a 43-27 win over
the Boilermakers, completing 19-of-22 pass attempts for 390 yards and a touchdown. Leading receiver Hank Beatty had a big game, catching five passes for 186 yards and a TD, while Ca’Lil Valentine paced the ground game with 95 yards on 22 carries and a score. Kaden Feagin added another two touchdowns on the ground.
Despite the win, Illinois had a bit of a tough time corralling the Purdue offense, allowing 453 yards with 302 of those coming through the air — a bad omen given the Ohio State offense they’re about to face. To the Illini’s credit, they did force a pair of turnovers on two fumbles, and were able to get off the field on third down with the Boilermakers converting on only 5-of-13 attempts.
Altmeyer has had a great year overall for Illinois, throwing for nearly 1,600 yards on 73.6% completions with 12 touchdowns and no interceptions. His favorite target, the aforementioned Beatty, has tallied 32 receptions for 569 yards and two touchdowns on the year. Valentine and Feagin at running back have combined for 639 yards (4.6 YPC) with eight touchdowns between them.
Illinois’ defense ranks around middle of the pack, sitting at No. 71 nationally allowing 24 points per game. One of the biggest bright spots of the group has been defensive end Gabe Jacas, who leads the team with five tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks as well as a pair of forced fumbles. Defensive backs Matthew Bailey and Miles Scott are tied for the team lead in tackles with 31 total, while defensive end Leon Lowery is second on the team with three TFLs and two sacks.
For Ohio State, Julian Sayin is completing an absurd 80.2% of his passes this season, throwing for more than 1,300 yards with 13 touchdowns and three picks. The Buckeyes’ wide receiver core is the best in the nation, with both Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate each eclipsing 430 yards through five games with 10 combined touchdowns. In the backfield, freshman Bo Jackson has emerged as the lead ball-carrier, averaging 7.5 yards per carry on the year.
The Buckeyes’ defense, meanwhile, is far and away the best in the country, allowing only five points per game and only two total touchdowns through their first five contests. The group has been especially impressive in the red zone, where they are the only team in college football to have yet to allow a touchdown and have only allowed any points at all only three times in eight tries (37.5%) — all field goals.
With Ohio State’s win over Texas looking less and less impressive by the week, the Illini will provide another valuable test for a Buckeyes team with sights on a second-straight national title.
All lines and odds are presented by FanDuel Sportsbook.
