The Ohio State Buckeyes moved to 2-1 this season after beating Kent State 59-3 last Saturday, Sept. 19, at Ohio Stadium.
Coach Ryan Day and the Buckeyes remain in Columbus and will play their first Big Ten Conference game against coach Bret Bielema and the Illinois Fighting Illini for Week 4.
It’s the first time Illinois plays at Ohio State since 2017.
Matchup details
Who: Illinois Fighting Illini at Ohio State Buckeyes. Kickoff: Noon. Broadcast: FOX.
Live stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=673036
Postgame
Smith sets new career highs
Twelve receptions. Two-hundred seventeen receiving yards. Four receiving touchdowns.
All coming on a game-high 16 targets. Jeremiah Smith firmly asserted himself into the Heisman Trophy conversation on Saturday.
Looking at statistics via the Big Ten, Smith leads the conference with seven receiving touchdowns through four games. His 617 receiving yards are 60 yards more than the next closest wideout. The Miami native is second with 33 receptions.
The Buckeyes relied on Smith offensively, and when needed, Sayin ran the ball.
Next week Ohio State will travel to Iowa, which beat Michigan on a last-second Hail Mary. The Hawkeyes allowed the Wolverines to pass for 276 yards, so can Smith replicate his performances through the first four weeks of the season — which include at least 85 receiving yards in each — against one of the Big Ten’s tougher defenses?
Live — Second half
2:36 4Q: The FOX broadcast showed a graphic stating that the Buckeyes have five games left on their schedule this fall against ranked opponents.
That is tied with Washington for most in the Big Ten. That’s an incredible task for Day and Ohio State, and they’ll have the ability to prove their Playoff resume come time later this year.
8:30 4Q: Smith is doing the heavy lifting when the Buckeyes offense is on the field.
The 6-foot-4, 222-pound receiver eclipsed 200 yards for the first time in his career. Previous best was 187 on seven receptions during the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal against No. 1 Oregon at the Rose Bowl his freshman season. The Buckeyes won the national championship that year.
10:07 4Q: Smith has caught his fourth touchdown of the game. He’s up to 205 yards on 11 repceptions, 14 targets.
Sayin’s five total touchdowns are a career high as well.
Start of third quarter: I’ll be watching to see if Smith will get to four receiving touchdowns — or more.
Live — First half
Halftime: Some leaders at the break:
- Sayin: 21-for-27, 272 yards, 3 TD.
- Smith: 8 receptions on 11 targets (73%), 150 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns, 72 yards long. He averaged 18.8 yards per catch.
- Buckeyes rushing: 88 yards on 18 carries. Sayin flashed several conversions and ran his second rushing touchdown of his career.
- Illinois rushing: This has been most effective for the Fighting Illini, IMO. They have 92 yards on 12 carries, including four first downs on the ground. Aidan Laughery has broke three runs for 70 yards, led by a 37-yard long rush.
- Illinois special teams: Punter Lars Rau has two punts for 95 yards, both inside the 20 and one inside the 5.
4:12 2Q: First career three-touchdown game for Smith. By the first half.
One of the longest drives of the season ends in fascinating fashion. Nineteen plays, 96 yards over 8:31.
10:15 2Q: What a play by Sayin. Shedding a few tackles and still get the first down with his legs.
He had an impressive start throwing, too.
12:43 2Q: That was a critical sack by Riley Pettijohn.
Ohio State 14, Illinois 7 End 1Q: Smith is must-see.
At the end of one, he’s got 123 yards on four catches. Half of those receptions went for touchdowns.
5:27 1Q: Like I’ve mentioned below, I’m interested in the emotions invested in this game.
That Illibuck Trophy hasn’t gone to Illinois in some time.
The Illini and Buckeyes are bringing the “fight” in this one so far. Also see Smith’s touchdown against Illinois senior defensive back Juice Clarke earlier in the quarter.
Ohio State 7, Illinois 0 9:34 1Q: Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith hauled in the 31st touchdown of his Buckeyes career and Ohio State started fast against the Illini.
It took nine plays, but the Buckeyes and quarterback Julian Sayin moved 75 yards down the field to put pressure on Illinois early.
I’m curious to see how the Illinois offense responds. There’s clear conflict between Smith and the Illini defense, so how will Illinois answer Ohio State and can it keep it a ballgame?
Pregame
Essential resources
Illinois game notes: https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/ohiostatebuckeyes.com/documents/2026/9/21/20260926_Ohio_State.pdf?timestamp=20260921052627
Ohio State game notes: https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/ohiostatebuckeyes.com/documents/2026/9/21/4_Illinois.pdf?timestamp=20260921013638
Big Ten Conference weekly release: https://img.boostsport.ai/boost-cms/2026%20FB%20Week%204%20Release.pdf
Nick Swisher is inducted into Ohio State Athletic HOF
The former Buckeyes baseball player had his moment Friday night. He returned Saturday morning to spend some time with former Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer.
Benge Notes
A drop in the poll
Even though the Buckeyes played as expected against Kent State, they still fell in the US LBM Coaches and Associated Press polls.
From No. 6 to 7, the fall isn’t far. It does, however, make for some interesting recordkeeping.
According to the Ohio State game notes, Day “has coached 97 games at Ohio State and in 96 of them his team has been nationally ranked in the AP Top 10 poll and has been ranked in the Top 5 in 84 of those games.”
I imagine the Buckeyes would like to get back in the top five.
Also according to the Buckeyes game notes, “in Day’s 60-game Big Ten tenure, Ohio State has averaged 40.0 points per game while allowing just 15.2 points per game to their opponents.”
Let’s check this season’s national leaderboards.
Ohio State is tied for No. 12 with a 46 points per-game scoring offense.
Illinois is No. 36 behind a 39 points per-game scoring offense. The Illini have beat Alabama-Birmingham 42-23, lost to Duke 31-27 and topped Southern Illinois 48-48-10. All games have been in Champaign, Illinois.
I expect Day and the Buckeyes to go for a statement win on Saturday. I’ve read many questions about the trust the Ohio State coach has in each level of his team, from the offense to the defense to special teams.
With the Ducks scoring 84 points, a modern program record, last week against Portland State, surely Ohio State wants a shot at putting a thump on an opponent of the Big Ten’s caliber.
I’ve always said a shutout goes a long way in a national championship resume. Could the Buckeyes blank Illinois at home? For the Illibuck Trophy, which they’ve had since 2008 in nine-straight contests?
Around the Big Ten
Several notable other conference matchups include:
- No. 5 Indiana 29, Northwestern 23, Friday, Sept. 25, 8 p.m.
- UCLA 54, Maryland 3, Saturday, Sept. 26, 1:30 p.m.
- No. 3 Notre Dame 49, Purdue 10, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2 p.m.
- No. 17 Iowa 20, No. 18 Michigan 19, Saturday, Sept. 26, 3:30 p.m.
- Wisconsin 24, No. 13 Penn State 20, Saturday, Sept. 28, 3:30 p.m.
- No. 20 Oregon at No. 12 USC, Saturday, Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m.
Something I’d like to highlight is that Iowa’s defense has allowed 13 points through three games this season. The Hawkeyes beat Northern Illinois 40-0, Iowa State 16-13 and Northern Iowa 55-0. That’s two shutouts.
Now, Michigan may be Iowa’s most stout opponent yet. We’ll see what Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood, who’s thrown for 504 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 156 and two scores, can do against one of the most tough defenses in the Big Ten.
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