The No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (9-0) look to add to their undefeated record as they travel to meet the Illinois Fighting Illini (5-4). A key player to watch in this game is the Big 10’s leading rusher, Ezekiel Elliott (1,244 yards, 14 TDs). It starts at 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov 14 and will air on ABC.
In last week’s game, Illinois smashed Purdue 48-14. Ke’Shawn Vaughn had a great game on the ground in the victory, rushing 16 times for 180 yards and two TDs. Josh Ferguson also had a big game with 133 rushing yards on 12 carries. Ohio State managed to get the win as well, defeating Minnesota 28-14. Cardale Jones had a good performance passing the ball for the Buckeyes, completing 12 of 22 passes for 187 yards and one TD. He added 65 yards and a TD on 12 rush attempts.
The Fighting Illini, a 16-point underdog, will be looking to defend their home field when Ohio State comes to town. The matchup currently has a 51-point Over/Under (O/U).
With a 5-4 record both Straight Up (SU) and Against The Spread (ATS), the Fighting Illini will look to improve as they head into Week 11. In the past five games, Illinois is 2-3 SU and 3-2 ATS. The Fighting Illini utilize their passing attack frequently. They pass 42.4 times per game, which is the fifth-most in the nation. During their last five games, the Fighting Illini gave up 208.0 passing yards per game.
On the other side, the Buckeyes haven’t fared well ATS, sitting at 3-6. However, they are 9-0 SU this season. The defensive front seven better be ready for Ohio State’s bruising rushing attack which has averaged 247.8 yards on the ground over its past five games. Lately, the Buckeyes have had a better pass defense. They’re allowing only 189.8 passing YPG over their last five matchups. The Buckeyes generally save their best for last, averaging 11.2 points in the fourth quarter.
Predictions: SU Winner – Ohio State, ATS Winner – Ohio State, O/U – Under
Notes
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Illinois’s last 8 games.
Illinois is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home.
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Illinois’s last 8 games at home.
Illinois is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Ohio State.
Illinois is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Ohio State.
Illinois is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Ohio State.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Illinois’s last 7 games when playing at home against Ohio State.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Ohio State’s last 7 games when playing on the road against Illinois.
Ohio State is 9-0 SU when leading at the start of the 4th quarter this season. Illinois is 4-0 SU when carrying a lead into the fourth quarter.
Since the beginning of last season, Ohio State is a perfect 14-0 SU against Big 10 opponents, while Illinois is just 5-8 SU against conference foes.
According to overall FBS team rankings, Ohio State is rated higher in the ground game on both sides of the ball. Its 12th-ranked rushing attack will face the 34th-ranked run defense of Illinois, while its 31st-ranked run defense will look to contain the 99th-ranked rushing game of the Fighting Illini.
