What Would a Successful Illinois Game vs. Ohio State Look Like?
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Illinois will have an opportunity on Saturday to answer an important question about Bret Bielema's program, and the answer does not necessarily require winning.
Illinois opens up its Big Ten season with a 2-1 record, with victories over UAB and Southern Illinois and a loss to the Duke Blue Devils. This weekend, however, the competition level jumps up considerably against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Ohio State is also 2-1 this season, but their lone loss was a 24-23 defeat against the now No. 1 Texas Longhorns in Austin, TX. The Buckeyes have overwhelmed their other two opponents this season, beating Ball State, 56-3, and Kent State, 59-3.
Expecting Illinois to walk into Columbus on a nationally broadcast game and come out with a victory may be unrealistic.
Expecting the Illini to compete is not.
The distinction matters, particularly because of what happened a year ago in Illinois' first road game of the season. Illinois was ranked No. 9 in the country and suffered an embarrassing 63-10 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers.
Indiana outgained the Illini, 579-161, and recorded 31 first downs compared to Illinois' nine.
That simply cannot happen again on Saturday.
Losing to Ohio State would not signal to a nervous fanbase that this season might be lost for the Illini. However, another performance where they look like they do not even belong on the field could lead fans to find other ways to spend their Saturday afternoons than in Gies Memorial Stadium.
Illinois has the tools to put up a fight. In particular, quarterback Katin Houser and wide receiver Collin Dixon have been one of the most electric pairings in this young college football season thus far. The offense won't be expected to reach 500+ yards, as they did in their previous matchup against SIU, but to be able to show multiple sustained drives against a very good Ohio State defense could provide hope for when they go against defenses not lined up with five- and four-star players on the other side.
One of the most concerning aspects of last season's loss to Indiana was how it seemed the team got punched in the face and then refused to fight back. Saturday will prove to be an opportunity that Illinois can handle adversity in a much better way moving forward.
The schedule still has some tough matchups later in the season, but no one is quite at the level of Ohio State. If offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. can help Houser prove to be a formidable threat against the Buckeyes' defense, then there can be a reasonable expectation that the offense will be able to produce against the rest of the Big Ten schedule.
Saturday is a chance for this Illinois team to show that last year's experience belongs in 2025. Illinois is not expected to leave Columbus and come home with the Illibuck Trophy.
However, fans want to see that their football team belonged in the fight.
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