COLUMBUS, Ohio — Illinois, Illinois, Illinois.
That’s the message that Urban Meyer is trying to deliver to his team this week, a reminder that it’s the Fighting Illini who are next up on Ohio State’s schedule. But while the Buckeyes head coach attempts to keep his team focused on its next opponent, even he knows what’s waiting around the corner for Ohio State.
“I know there’s a big one coming up,” Meyer said of the Buckeyes’ highly touted Nov. 8 matchup with Michigan State. “Our players know it. Of course they know that’s coming.”
And why wouldn’t they? Ever since the Spartans beat Ohio State in last season’s Big Ten Championship Game, all roads on the Buckeyes’ 2014 schedule seemed to lead to the second week of November and an inevitable high-stakes rematch between the two teams.
Sept. 6 seemed to threaten that notion, with Ohio State losing to Virginia Tech and Michigan State failing in its trip to Oregon to take on the Ducks. But since that date, neither the Buckeyes nor Spartans have suffered an additional defeat, putting next Saturday’s matchup back on track.
Of course that’s easy to say for Michigan State, who currently finds itself enjoying a bye week after reeling off six wins in its past six games. Ohio State, meanwhile, still has those pesky Illini to deal with, although Meyer insists that they present more challenge than distraction.
“If they’re a really bad team or on videotape they’re awful,…
Continue Reading: Ohio State Football: Are Buckeyes Overlooking Illinois for Michigan State?
