Illinios-Ohio State: Will the Buckeyes Overlook the Illini Before the Big Game?

It's the battle for the Illibuck Trophy when #1 Ohio State hosts the Fighting Illini on Saturday.

Illinois 7-3 (4-2) is a dangerous athletic team with two athletic quaterbacks in Juice Williams and Eddie McGee, and a potent rushing attack lead by Rashard Mendenhall.

The Illini also have an excellent linebacker, and the team's emotional leader, in Jeremy Leman, who on the season has 102 total tackles on the season and 2.5 sacks. He is a semi-finalist for the Butkus Award (Nation's Top Linebacker).

But the Buckeyes, led on offense by Chris Wells, with 1,165 yards and 10 touchdowns, and quaterback Todd Boeckman, who has been very consistant and efficient with 23 TDs and only 8 INTs.

Defense is what makes the Buckeyes special, though, led by James Laurinatis.  He's the backbone of the defense and possibly the best all-around defensive player in the nation, with 85 tackles, 5 sacks and 2 interceptions on the season so far.

The key for Illinois to pull off this upset is to control the ball with that spread option attack. They need Juice Williams to prove himself to be the quaterback and the leader of the offense. If he struggles look for Coach Ron Zook to make a change. The defense needs to key on Wells and make the Buckeyes pass to beat them.

The Buckeyes need to do one thing and that is play Ohio State football.  That is, succesfully run the ball, and pound it down the Illini's throats. Defensively they need to shut down that athletic group.

My prediction for the game: Illinois will keep the game close all the way down to the wire. This will be a defensive struggle, which will play in favor for the Buckeyes. Chris Wells will have a hundred yard game, Mendenhall will struggle all game long to find openings, and Juice just will do enough to keep them in it—but not enough to win it.
 
Ohio St. 17, Illinois 6

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