COLUMBUS, Ohio — Three hundred and forty-nine yards. That was where Illinois stood after three quarters Saturday. By the time the afternoon was over, the Illini had 462.
For Ohio State, that’s a number that stands out. The Buckeyes’ defense had not allowed that much offense in a game since Oregon gained 496 yards against Ohio State in 2024. Illinois did it without a single three-and-out, moving the ball on all nine of its possessions.
The final score was 42-19. The defensive performance was nowhere near as comfortable as the margin suggested.
Illinois averaged 6.5 yards per play. It ran for 199 yards. It threw for 263 more.
And then there were the chunk plays.
Eight Illinois pass plays went for at least 15 yards, accounting for 179 yards. Seven rushing attempts went for at least 10 yards, accounting for another 140.
That’s where the afternoon got away from Ohio State. A 37-yard run from Aidan Laughery. A 33-yard reception by Ca’Lil Valentine. A 27-yard touchdown pass to Ty Robinson. Another 25-yard run from Katin Houser.
The Illini kept finding ways to turn ordinary plays into significant gains. It wasn’t one thing. The Buckeyes missed tackles. They gave up too much room in coverage at times. The pass rush didn’t consistently get home. Ohio State finished with three sacks, but Houser completed 21 of 37 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown without throwing an interception.
For long stretches, he had time. That’s not necessarily a recipe for disaster when the defense can tighten up in the red zone, and Ohio State did enough of that Saturday. But it is a recipe for giving up 462 yards.
And that is the part Ohio State won’t be able to ignore simply because the offense scored 42.
There is a very different standard for this defense because of what it has been.
Last season, Ohio State allowed 129.7 passing yards per game, the second-fewest mark by any FBS team during the College Football Playoff era and the fewest by any team since 2014.
This wasn’t that. Not close.
Sophomore cornerback Devin Sanchez had a particularly difficult afternoon, while Illinois repeatedly tested the Buckeyes with throws downfield. The secondary had good moments, too, but they were mixed in with too many explosive plays.
The front had its moments as well. Linebacker Riley Pettijohn recorded a sack and two tackles for loss. Defensive linemen Kenyatta Jackson Jr. had a sack and Beau Atkinson added half a sack. But three sacks didn’t change the game.
Illinois still finished with 25 first downs. It kept coming. Even when Ohio State stopped one drive, Illinois was back on the field again. The biggest stop came in the third quarter.
Illinois took 13 plays and 7:50 to travel 74 yards, eventually reaching the Ohio State 20-yard line. The Buckeyes finally ended the possession when the Illini failed to convert on fourth down. It was a good stop. It was also necessary.
Ohio State’s offense responded immediately, driving 80 yards for Jeremiah Smith’s fourth touchdown of the day. That’s what made the defensive performance somewhat easy to overlook. Every time Illinois threatened to make the game interesting, Ohio State’s offense had an answer. But that isn’t something the defense can assume will happen every Saturday.
Saturday was a win. A convincing one on the scoreboard. It just wasn’t a particularly convincing afternoon for the defense. The Buckeyes gave up too many explosive plays, didn’t tackle well enough and didn’t generate enough consistent pressure to make Illinois one-dimensional.
They also gave up 462 yards to a team that never went three-and-out. Those are the numbers that will stick with Ohio State after this one. The offense was good enough to make them secondary. The defense needs to make sure they don’t become a trend.
Photo via Ohio State Dept. of Athletics.
