What looked like an easy Ohio State victory turned tense in the second half as Ohio State needed almost the entire game to put Illinois away for good in a 60-35 win.
Ohio State vs. Illinois 2013 final score: Buckeyes roll in 60-35 victory
The Buckeye ground attack steamrolled Illinois, but an inconsistent defensive performance by OSU kept the game halfway competitive until late.
Bradley Leeb-USA TODAY Sports
Illinois pulled the score to within 12 points, 47-35, with the ball midway through the fourth quarter, but the Buckeye defense finally clamped down on the Illini and Carlos Hyde added long touchdowns on his last two rushes of the game to push the final margin to 25 points.
Still, Ohio State managed to accomplish the rare feat of putting up 60 points in a single game and not looking impressive in the process. Now, more than ever, the Buckeyes are going to need help elsewhere before even starting to think about the BCS National Championship.
Box Score Hero: Carlos Hyde was unstoppable in the win, taking 24 carries for 246 yards and four scores. Braxton Miller added 184 yards on the ground, including a 70-yard touchdown run to open up scoring in the game. His consistency waned during the second half, however.
Rankings Ramifications: Coasting to a victory like this isn’t going to impress any voters, so Ohio State has to hope that style points irrelevant by now. If either Alabama or Florida State loses, Ohio State moves up, but Stanford and Baylor remain close behind in the BCS standings.
But Did They Cover? Ohio State came into the game favored by anywhere from 33.5 to 36 points. Needless to say, that’s not a cover.
For More On This Game: For more on Boilermakers football, visit Purdue community Hammer And Rails. For more on Buckeyes football, visit Ohio State community Land-Grant Holy Land, plus Big Ten community Off Tackle Empire.
Next Week’s Schedule: Ohio State faces Indiana in Columbus next Saturday, while Illinois travels to Purdue.
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