Ohio State vs. Illinois prediction, pick, odds, spread: No. 1 Buckeyes face Illini for first time since 2017
The Big Ten rivalry game features two ranked teams for the first time since 2001
By
Carter Bahns
•
4 min read
The Big Ten is responsible for two of the three top 25 showdowns on the college football schedule this weekend, and the first of them comes when No. 1 Ohio State hits the road for a clash with No. 17 Illinois. The Buckeyes' perfect season is on the line in what is, from a rankings perspective, their toughest test since the opener. On the other sideline, the Fighting Illini could re-emerge as College Football Playoff contenders if they pull off the upset.
It will be a battle of strength versus strength when the high-octane Illinois offense squares off against Ohio State's formidable defense. Veteran quarterback Luke Altmyer has Illinois cooking with his scalding hot start in which he completed 73.6% of his throws for 12 touchdowns without an interception across six games. It will take his best effort to move the ball with any semblance of consistency against the Buckeyes, though, given they have yet to allow an opponent to reach double digits on the scoreboard.
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This is one of the biggest games remaining on both teams' schedules. Between the two, only one additional ranked matchup lies ahead before the end of the regular season. The time is now to earn a resume-building victory before the slate gets lighter.
Where to watch Ohio State vs. Illinois live
Date: Saturday, Oct. 11 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Gies Memorial Stadium -- Champaign, Illinois
TV: Fox | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Ohio State vs. Illinois: Need to know
First Illibuck matchup since 2017: Ohio State and Illinois played nearly every year for most of this series' lengthy history, which dates back to 1902. Big Ten expansion over the last decade and a half altered the traditional rivalry, though, and the foes have not done battle since 2017 when the Buckeyes won a 52-14 rout to extend their winning streak over the Fighting Illini to nine games. The teams play for the Illibuck, a carved wooden turtle that serves as the second-oldest trophy in the Big Ten.
The Matt Patricia effect: Ohio State's first-year defensive coordinator is a superstar, and the countless players who stepped into starting roles for the first time in their careers this season have done nothing but rise to the occasion. Caden Curry leads the Big Ten in tackles for loss and sacks, Caleb Downs remains one of the sport's best overall players and numerous other standouts emerged on what is through six weeks the most impenetrable defense in college football. The Buckeyes have allowed two touchdowns all season; that is an unbelievable reality in Week 7.
Altmyer and Beatty among national leaders: There are few one-two punches in the nation as unstoppable as Altmyer and wide receiver Hank Beatty. The former boasts the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in the sport, and the latter is the only player in the country with a passing, rushing, receiving and punt return touchdown this season. Beatty has been everything Illinois needed after it lost its top two receivers from a year ago, and the passing game has thus not skipped a beat as one of college football's top attacks.
Bo knows: Bo Jackson -- the Ohio State freshman running back, not the two-sport legend -- is perhaps the most pleasant surprise in the Buckeye program. James Peoples and CJ Donaldson projected to lead the backfield, but it has instead been Jackson who emerged as the top ballcarrier in this potent offense. His 360 yards gives him nearly as much production as Peoples and Donaldson combined despite handling only about one-third of the team's carries. Jackson's workload increased in the last two games, and he figures to again be a focal point of the scheme this week against Illinois.
Ohio State vs. Illinois prediction, picks
Unstoppable force, meet immovable object. This game is all about whether Illinois' offense can be the first team to find any kind of success against Ohio State. The Fighting Illini have only had one game go under this 51.5-point total, while the Buckeyes have only gone over that mark once. If you trust Patricia to keep his defense humming at its unfathomable level, the under is the play. If you trust Altmyer to find the end zone a time or two, over. One of those two wavered once this season (Illinois scored just 10 points against Indiana) while the other is as steady as they come, so I lean toward the Buckeyes controlling this and keeping it on the lower-scoring side. Pick: Under 51.5
SportsLine's proven computer model has simulated every Week 7 college football game 10,000 times. Visit SportsLine now to see all the picks, all from the model that is 38-25 since the beginning of last season on top-rated money-line and over/under picks.
