No. 3 Ohio State can finally look ahead to its season-defining showdowns with Michigan State and Michigan, but it wasn’t easy Saturday afternoon, as it beat Illinois 28-3 in Memorial Stadium.
The Buckeyes (10-0) moved the ball decently, racking up 440 total yards against an underrated defense from the Illini (5-5). The win keeps Ohio State alive in the College Football Playoff race, but things will get much more difficult moving forward.
How did the Buckeyes grade out from their 25-point win?
Ohio State Buckeyes Grade Analysis
Pass Offense
The Buckeyes had it going in the pass game early, as J.T. Barrett completed his first four passes, highlighted by a beautiful 24-yard touchdown throw to Michael Thomas. But the aerial attack sputtered in the second quarter, and Barrett finished the first half with just 106 yards through the air.
Ohio State turned to the ground game in the second half, as Barrett finished with 150 passing yards, completing 15 of 23 passes for a touchdown and an interception. The offensive line was the biggest disappointment, as it consistently buckled against Illinois’ front four.
Run Offense
Ezekiel Elliott has struggled with some slow starts this season, but that wasn’t the case against Illinois, as he ran for 40 yards on seven carries in the first quarter. The Buckeyes went away from him in the second quarter for some reason, as he got just two carries for seven yards before the break. He was complemented by Barrett at…
Continue Reading: Ohio State vs. Illinois: Game Grades, Analysis for the Buckeyes
