(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
The Ohio State Buckeyes went into Saturday’s game on the road against the Illinois Fighting Illini knowing that their last two games were going to be very difficult in facing Michigan State and Michigan. Ohio State took care of business behind Ezekiel Elliott’s two touchdown runs and returned to Columbus with a 28-3 win to improve to 10-0 for the season and 6-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Illinois dropped to 5-5 and 2-4 in the conference and is still one win short of clinching a bowl berth.
It took a little bit of time for the Buckeyes to get started but with 3:43 left in the first quarter, J.T. Barrett found Michael Thomas for a 24-yard touchdown. After an Illinois field goal in the second quarter, Barrett stuck again with a six-yard touchdown run with just 50 seconds left in the first half to give Ohio State a 14-3 halftime lead. Elliott would take over in the second half with a one-yard plunge in the third quarter but adding a ten-yard run early in the fourth as he finished with 181 yards rushing for the afternoon.
Barrett finished 15-for-23 for 150 yards while Illini quarterback Wes Lunt went 23-for-47 for 241 yards. Desmond Cain has ten catches for Illinois for 102 yards while Thomas ended up with six catches for 76 yards and the receiving touchdown. The Buckeyes go home to host Michigan State next Saturday in a key East Division showdown while Illinois will hit the road to face Minnesota in a game that could decide which team makes a bowl game.
