Ohio State's first true Big Ten test is here as they open competition against the Illinois Fighting Illini on Saturday.
The Ohio State Buckeyes finally get their opportunity to open Big Ten play on Saturday afternoon.
It has been six full seasons since the Buckeyes last won the Big Ten Championship. That title came in 2020 when they defeated the Northwestern Wildcats in 2020. They have had a couple of close calls and a couple of years when they have slipped up at the end of the season, costing them an opportunity at the Championship.
Now, in 2026, it is yet another year when one of their goals is to hoist the Big Ten Championship Trophy in December. This year, unlike the last couple of years, the Buckeyes have one of the hardest paths to get it done.
Ohio State has five ranked Big Ten opponents on its schedule, including road trips to Indiana and USC. It is an absolute gauntlet of a schedule, and they have very little room for error for the rest of the year.
All of that is to come; what is on their doorstep is a matchup against the Illinois Fighting Illini.
Illinois comes into Saturday's game inside the Horseshoe needing a huge performance. They slipped up a couple of weeks ago against the Duke Blue Devils, and now they are fighting an uphill battle for the rest of the way.
A win on Saturday would go a long way to making that happen, but it will take a miracle.
The Buckeyes are a four-score favorite, and in terms of matchups across the field, the Buckeyes have the advantage at every single position, and it could prove itself out in play and out of play.
Not only do the Buckeyes need a win on Saturday, but they have to look the part against the Illini. It has been a really weird first couple of weeks evaluating Ohio State.
Yes, they have won their two games against the MAC by a wide margin. They also won three quarters of the Texas game convincingly, but something still doesn't feel right about the Buckeyes.
They have yet to establish the run game consistently, have not generated a pass rush, and have gotten inconsistent play from their quarterback.
Saturday is going to be a Saturday that most Buckeye fans won't even bat an eye at. The Buckeyes will likely win big, but it is critical that they look the part. There are a bunch of challenges that remain for Ohio State this year, and they have to begin stacking improvements.
Saturday will be their first chance to get it done.
