Illinois 0, at tOSU 30 (Sep 26, 3:30, ABC/ESPN)

[NateG]

good to see everyone agreeing on here .

[OregonBuckeye]

Originally Posted by NateG

good to see everyone agreeing on here .

Good post, I agree.

[NateG]

Originally Posted by OregonBuckeye

Good post

I agree as well...





ok that should be enough

[jwinslow]

Gametime updated

Ohio State-Illinois at 3:30

Will be televised regionally by ABC and ESPN



COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State-Illinois game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, Sept. 26, the Big Ten Conference announced today. The contest will open the Big Ten season for the Buckeyes and will be played at Ohio Stadium in Columbus.



The game will be televised on a regional basis by ABC; regions that don’t get the ABC broadcast will find the action mirrored on one of the ESPN networks.



For updated information on Ohio State football, go to The Ohio State Buckeyes Official Athletics Site - OhioStateBuckeyes.com.

[BB73]

Per ESPN, LB Martez Wilson is out for the season due to neck surgery.

[korchiki]

Originally Posted by BB73

Per ESPN, LB Martez Wilson is out for the season due to neck surgery.

Wow big time loss for ILL...They are really going to struggle stopping people this year

[funman]

I was looking for this discussion on the Buckeye Football message board.

How effective will the Illini offense be Saturday? They have Benn, Fayson, and Cumberland and the TE Oooo... something. Last time at the shoe Illinois burned OSU with the read option. With all the threats at receiver, will the middle of the field be susceptible to the run? Despite early game difficulties such as injuries to Benn and Juice, I think this will be the most potent attack the defense will face to date this season. If Juice gets a lot of yard rushing, it might be a long day. The offense will definitely need to score and the defense must play hard for 60.

If OSU can get the lead it will help the defense. My fear is that the Toledo result might have TP and some of the other young Bucks feeling too good about themselves. I hope the Buckeyes prepare hard this week and focus.

[jmorbitz]

Toledo 210 total, 624 total the week before (albeit Colorado)
USC 313 total
Navy 342-186 rushing

I think the D should be fine, even though they gave up 455 total to UI last year. I don't think the players will get too big headed, reading some of the quotes they'll be playing with a "chip on their shoulder" like Brewster said all season. Mizzou put up 442 on UI's D, losing 23 Seniors. Their QB threw for 319 and 3 TDs, with 1 rushing TD. tOSU only had 95 yards passing last year against UI, but I expect that to change dramatically. Last week tOSU's D just shut down the number one QB, albeit Toledo, but a 5 year senior nonetheless. Just like seeing Navy's run the week before SC, I think seeing Toledo's spread the week before Illi will be beneficial for the D. The line has gotten pressure all year, so that doesn't concern me, I think that can keep Juice in check. Hopefully the offense can cut way back on some of the stupid penalties, and get a good push. I agree the offense will need to score, but my cousin's team, ISU, put up 398 total yards. If we can score outside of the redzone, it shouldn't be much of a problem. Maybe I'm selling UI short, but after seeing this D for three weeks, and watching them live in the backfield, I'm not all that worried. Maybe homefield can play a role. If anything I see tOSU struggling on offense by inhibiting themselves, but I think the D will be up to the task.

[heisman]

Originally Posted by funman

I was looking for this discussion on the Buckeye Football message board.

How effective will the Illini offense be Saturday? They have Benn, Fayson, and Cumberland and the TE Oooo... something. Last time at the shoe Illinois burned OSU with the read option. With all the threats at receiver, will the middle of the field be susceptible to the run? Despite early game difficulties such as injuries to Benn and Juice, I think this will be the most potent attack the defense will face to date this season. If Juice gets a lot of yard rushing, it might be a long day. The offense will definitely need to score and the defense must play hard for 60.

If OSU can get the lead it will help the defense. My fear is that the Toledo result might have TP and some of the other young Bucks feeling too good about themselves. I hope the Buckeyes prepare hard this week and focus.

Illinois is struggling with their new offense. In fact, they probably don't have the proper personnel to run it. They struggled to move the ball consistently against Mizzou, and with Juice and Benn ailing, I see them struggling again on Saturday. On the defensive side of the ball, the Illini have struggled early in the season, and with the loss of Tez in the middle, I don't see that getting any better by Saturday either.

[NFBuck]

Just don't get Zooked.

I think our defense + no Mendenhall + their suspect defense = little chance for a Zooking.

Our DL is light years better than the '07 DL, so they'll get good enough containment on Juice to neutralize him. Plus he's shon little to no improvement as a passer since '07.

[dragurd]

Plus revenge for last time on our turf on their minds helps.

[scooter1369]

I'm looking forward to this game. Illinois ripped my heart out two years ago here. I want my pound of flesh.

[NightmaresDad]

Well, even if I don't have 100% confidence in our Off. yet, I do have 100% confidence in Ill's defense - to give up big plays.

Plus I have 100% confidence i Juice to throw at least one pick.

I think we'll score 30+ points, and our D won't give up that many to anybody.

[TDG]

Aw man, I hate having to wait for 3:30 kickoffs.

Anyway, I'm glad that Big Ten season is starting again, I've missed it. This should be interesting, you never really know what you're going to get from a Zook-coached team (under achievement most of the time, but there are exceptions.) I'm sure the boys will be able to get a comfortable win in the Shoe.

[NateG]

The other thing with Illinos is that when they won 2 years ago it was using the read option. Our boys got a ton of option practice in the offseason. So even if they try a similar model to win the game I think that the D will be able to handle it. Plus Ill isn't as good at running option as Navy. I know they are two separate styles but the reads are the same. And Rolle seems to be extremely fast and the DT's are playing great.