COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State is heading back out on the road, looking to get another win over a ranked opponent while getting one step closer to the Big Ten Championship game.
The top-ranked Buckeyes will travel to Champaign for the first time in a decade to face a 17th-ranked Illinois team looking for a signature win. Given the caliber of the two teams, this can’t be categorized as a trap game. But right now, there aren’t many holes in what OSU has done through its first five games, and now the team is fighting to make sure it doesn’t get complacent.
“Every time I hear somebody say, ‘You guys are doing great,’ or anything like that, I just feel like we’re getting set up,” Day said. “That’s just the way I look at it as a coach because I just feel like it’s our job as coaches and leaders to make sure that guys understand that we say ignore noise. Usually, they’re talking about adversity.
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“I’m using that right now with our guys because all of a sudden, everyone thinks you’re the No. 1 team in the country and you’ve done all these things. We haven’t done anything yet. We haven’t accomplished a thing. The only thing that’s gonna matter is who gets better week in and week out.”
Day is preaching to his team to remain focused on the bigger picture as a group, trying to repeat as national champions. The Illini are looking to be a bump in the road to that by taking advantage should Ohio State not heed Day’s message.
Here are the players who will lead that charge:
Luke Altmyer
The Big Ten is loaded with quality quarterback play, and many of those names are littered across the Buckeyes’ regular-season schedule. Up next is Luke Altmyer, whose efficiency as a passer can rival what Julian Sayin has done this season. Through six games, Altmyer has completed 73.6% of his passes for 1,573 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 10.6 yards per attempt. He also hasn’t thrown an interception this season. In fact, since throwing four interceptions in a loss to Penn State in 2023, he’s thrown just one interception at home, and that was two years ago.
The Buckeyes’ offense is built around the ability to be both explosive and efficient. That’s a philosophy that Altmyer has also mastered as a pocket pass, too. Deciding who wins on Saturday might come down to which quarterback executes that philosophy better.
Hank Beatty
As we get close to the time of year when mid-season All-American teams get released, there is one obvious name that should fill the ‘All-Purpose’ category on everyone’s ballot.
Hank Beatty knows how to find the endzone, and it doesn’t matter what position to play him at. He is literally the embodiment of what that spot is supposed to be. Most of his production has been the product of 32 catches turning into 569 yards and two touchdowns. But he’s also thrown a three-yard touchdown pass, had a 25-yard rushing touchdown, and a punt return for a touchdown. He comes into this game fifth nationally in total yards and averaging 127.3 yards per game.
The only place he hasn’t scored yet is on punt return, which surely head coach Bret Bielema has something up his sleeve to get that at some point this season.
Gabe Jacas
Gabe Jacas came into the season in the conversation to be the Big Ten’s best linebacker. Now, thanks to guys like Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese, it’s not even a foregone conclusion that he’s even the best linebacker playing inside Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
But like those guys, he’s a threat in multiple ways, which is why Illinois has him coming off the edge more often this year.
So far, he’s recorded 19 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles, and a pass breakup. He’s also added 19 pressures in 152 pass-rushing snaps.
Matthew Bailey and Miles Scott
What Caleb Downs and Jaylen McClain are at safety for Ohio State, that’s what Mathew Bailey and Miles Scott are for Illinois.
Each has recorded 31 tackles this year. Scott’s added two tackles for loss to his boxscore while Bailey has one tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Both are constantly lining up all over the field, providing a different picture for a young quarterback making only his second road start to look at.
Bailey has played 319 snaps this season with 115 being at free safety, 114 being in the box, 53 in the slot, 21 on the edge and 16 at outside cornerback.
Scott has played 353 snaps with 247 being at free safety, 59 in the box, 38 in the slot, five at cornerback and four on the edge.