Big Ten Football: Why Ohio State Shouldn't Overlook Illinois in League Opener

Coming off of a dominant 73-20 victory over Eastern Michigan, the Ohio State Buckeyes (3-0) travel to Champaign this week to open up their Big Ten schedule against the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Currently ranked second in the nation and sporting a roster that has a Heisman candidate on it (Terrelle Pryor), the Buckeyes are on their way to what appears to be another appearance in the BCS National Championship game.

The Illinois Fighting Illini (2-1) have presented the Buckeyes with one of their tougher opponents over the years. 

Forgetting Ohio State’s dominance in last year’s game in a 30-0 rout of the Illini and the 40-2 shellacking the Illini received from the Buckeyes in 2005, Illinois has been very competitive with Ohio State over the last nine years.

Despite not playing in 2003 and 2004, the Fighting Illini have beaten the Buckeyes three times since 1999. 

Even more interesting is that in the games Ohio State has won since 1999, Illinois still has managed to give the Buckeyes a fight most of the time.

The Illini, besides 2005 and 2009, have held their ground against the Buckeyes, losing by no more than 10 points in each of their matchups.

Ohio State is lead by a quarterback that is contending for the Heisman Trophy, while Illinois’ quarterback is a redshirt freshman playing his first full season as the starting signal caller.

The Buckeye offense, which currently leads the Big Ten in scoring, will definitely give the Illini defense trouble.

Still, Ohio State should not overlook the Illini; playing on the road in a rivalry game is never an easy task.

The fact that Ohio State has the pressure of being the No. 2 team in the nation, coupled with the recent competitive atmosphere that surrounds this rivalry, makes this is one of the many games to pay attention to as Big Ten conference play begins.

Although everything surrounding both teams this season is almost the exact opposite, history leads college football fans to believe that the winner of the 2010 Illibuck will have won a hard fought game.