Ohio State got through J.T. Barrett’s one-game suspension with a win against Minnesota, and now the Buckeyes will be starting Barrett over Cardale Jones again as they head to Champaign to take on Illinois. OSU hasn’t had many dominating wins this year and the Minnesota game was no different. Now the Buckeyes have to make sure they avoid a letdown before a huge matchup with Michigan State.
How to watch Ohio State vs. Illinois on TV or online, plus 3 things to know
ILLIBUCK! ILLIBUCK! ILLIBUCK!
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Illinois has been up and down this season, and these last two weeks show it best. The Illini were shut out by Penn State two weeks ago, but then came back and blew out Purdue. Granted, Purdue is Purdue, but there are still a lot of reasons to be excited for Illinois fans. Running back Josh Ferguson is back to give the offense a boost and he made his presence known in a big way against the Boilermakers.
The Illinois defense has been much improved this year, and Barrett and company will have their hands full with this group -- at least, much more than they’ve had their hands full with Illinois in the past. Can the Illini defense play its best game of the season? On the flip side, can Ferguson make a big enough difference and can the Illini stop dropping the dang ball? Illinois has to play mistake-free to win this one.
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: Noon ET, ABC
Radio: Ohio State, Illinois
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Spread: Ohio State is favored by 17 points.
Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at Land-Grant Holy Land for Ohio State fans and The Champaign Room for Illinois fans.
Three big things to know
1. Illinois and Ohio State play for the most underrated trophy in college football: THE ILLIBUCK! What is an Illibuck? A wooden turtle (see main photo).
2. The Illinois athletic department is in turmoil. The Illini already had an interim coach and interim chancellor, and now they have an interim athletic director. That’s due in part to the disturbing findings of player abuse by former head football coach Tim Beckman.
3. How many quarterbacks will Ohio State play? That seems to be the question every week. Will Barrett get full reign in his first week back from suspension?
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