COLUMBUS — The Big Ten opener arrives with a wooden turtle attached. No. 7 Ohio State hosts Illinois at noon Saturday, giving the Buckeyes their first conference test and putting the Illibuck back on the line at Ohio Stadium.

Both teams are 2-1, though they reached that record in different ways. Ohio State handled Ball State, lost by one at Texas and responded with a 59-3 win over Kent State. Illinois beat UAB and Southern Illinois around a four-point loss at Duke, and it enters Columbus as a 27.5-point underdog.

The Illini have enough offense to make Ohio State pay for a sleepy start. Quarterback Katin Houser has completed 60 of 81 passes for 758 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions. His favorite target, Collin Dixon, has 25 catches for 367 yards and seven scores. Illinois has also protected Houser well, so the Buckeyes may have to create pressure with more than just the front four.

Ohio State’s defense remains the biggest difference between these two squads. The Buckeyes are allowing 10 points and 211.7 yards per game, including only 85.7 rushing yards. Kent State managed 97 total yards last week, and while nobody should confuse the Golden Flashes with a Big Ten team, Ohio State’s speed and depth will play against anyone.

The offense has been productive, averaging 46 points and 523.3 yards, with Julian Sayin completing 70.9 percent of his passes for 839 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. Those numbers are strong, but Sayin still has a lot to prove — especially with his legs and in the red zone.

The running game will also receive extra attention after Ryan Day challenged his backs to run with more toughness and create a greater threat on each carry. Bo Jackson has 230 yards and two touchdowns on 39 attempts, but 65 of those yards came on one play in the opener. Illinois is allowing 131 rushing yards per game, giving Jackson and the rest of the room a good opportunity to answer their coach.

Ohio State owns an official 69-30-4 advantage in the series and has not lost to Illinois since 2007. The Buckeyes won 34-16 last season and enter Saturday with 10 consecutive home victories. History favors Ohio State, but rivalry hardware has a way of making even a lopsided matchup feel a little less routine.

Players to Watch

·         Julian Sayin — For all the impressive throws, Sayin still has plenty to prove. He has to become more willing to use his legs when coverage opens a lane and more decisive with the ball in the red zone, where hesitation can turn seven points into three. This is his first chance this season to show he can manage the ugly downs that decide Big Ten games, not merely pile up yards when the picture is clean, or against inferior opponents.

·         Bo Jackson — Day did not hide his disappointment with the lack of explosive runs against Kent State, and Jackson sits at the center of the response. The challenge applies to the entire running back room, but Bo needs to show more toughness while remaining dangerous once he reaches the second level. Illinois’ front is sturdy enough to demand real effort but vulnerable enough for Ohio State’s backs to produce if they and the O-line handle business.

·         Khary Wilder — It is unusual to put a true freshman who may receive only a handful of defensive snaps on this list. Wilder has already logged 51 total plays, however, and the 6-foot-4, 257-pound end has the versatility to slide all over the line on passing downs. The more meaningful snaps he earns, the better this defense can become as he has, at times, been unblockable. By season’s end, he has a chance to be a game wrecker for Matt Patricia's defense.

Game Information

Notes

·         Saturday is Ohio State’s only rivalry game played for a trophy. The wooden Illibuck replaced the live turtle used when the tradition began in the 1920s.

·         Illinois has not defeated Ohio State since 2007.

·         The Buckeyes can extend their home winning streak to 11 games.

·         Collin Dixon enters Saturday with a national-best seven touchdown receptions.

Prediction

Big Ten games with hardware on the line are rarely polite, and Illinois is experienced enough to make the first half tough and physical. Houser and Dixon can test the secondary, while Bret Bielema will happily turn the afternoon into a line-of-scrimmage fight if Ohio State lets him.  Plus, he will pull out all stops to get a dub in Columbus, so expect the unexpected.

The problem for Illinois is that Ohio State has too much firepower on both sides of the ball to overcome, especially on the road in Columbus. The Buckeyes should disrupt Houser often enough, and Sayin and the running backs will eventually create the separation the spread, and the home crowd expects.

Ohio State 38, Illinois 10