College football season is in full go and the Big Ten season is here as Ohio State takes on Illinois on Saturday afternoon.
We like to look ahead to give you some things to look forward to when it comes to each Ohio State football matchup, and it's no different with this game. The Buckeyes enter this matchup as the home favorite.
Here are four things to look forward to in the Ohio State vs. Illinois matchup on Saturday.
Katin Houser Brings Experience Both On The Field & Against Ohio State
Not often does a transfer quarterback from a non-Power 4 program have as much experience at the Power 4 level as Houser does, combined with the number of starts across a career. Houser spent two years with Michigan State and then two more at Eastern Carolina, starting a combined 26 games, which is the 12th-most among active quarterbacks
in FBS. Back in 2023, when Houser was with the Spartans, he went 12-of-24 for 92 yards and was sacked twice in a 38-3 loss to the Buckeyes -- his only matchup against Ohio State.
Across four-plus years, Houser has thrown for 7,196 yards and 51 touchdowns, plus running for an additional 16 touchdowns. He's thrown for 758 yards and eight touchdowns this season for the Illini.
Current Staff Ringing The Victory Bell
The weekly tradition at home games for the Ohio State Buckeyes brings in a first... and it's with the person ringing the Victory Bell. While there have been numerous former players to be the bell-ringer, Saturday will be the first time that a current staff member will ring the bell prior to kickoff. That will belong to current linebackers coach James Laurinaitis. Laurinaitis was a three-time captain and a three-time All-American during his years in Columbus in the mid 2000s. A big-time bell-ringer for a big-time matchup, right? .
The IlliBuck ... What Is It?
Ohio State and Illinois have been playing since 1902 and have been vying for a trophy since 1925, making it one of the longest-tenured matchups and trophies in college football history. Initially a live turtle, the trophy has since morphed into a carved wooden turtle. Why a turtle? That was picked for its "expected long life as a symbol of the anticipated long life of the rivalry".
Ohio State enters this season's meeting as the trophy's winner since 2008, while it will be Illinois' first visit to Columbus since 2017.
Jeremiah Smith Vs Juice Clarke
This won't be the first time these two players have matched up, and Saturday could be a big day for Jeremiah Smith. Last year at Illinois, it was one of the few times that Smith lost his cool. He and Clarke got into it after the whistle as both players grabbed each other's facemasks, resulting in a flag. Shortly after, Smith burned Clarke on a goal-line route that resulted in a touchdown and a stare-down after. It was one of the few plays Smith won, however. He was held to 42 yards on five catches. This will likely be the matchup to start on Saturday. Can Smith keep his cool?
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: 4 important things to know about the Ohio State vs. Illinois matchup
