COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State picked up another ranked win on Saturday, this time on the road against then-No. 17 Illinois. The Illini have since dropped in the AP poll, but the win was still a good one for a team that has won six straight games and continues to win easily.
The Buckeyes won 34-16 despite not having their sharpest offensive game and giving up their first red zone touchdown of the season.
To some extent, the fact that Ohio State was able to win with multiple possessions despite missing the game speaks to its strength, but the expectations set by Ryan Day were perfect. So there are a few things to discuss after that game before heading to Wisconsin on Saturday. Let’s take a closer look at them.
Can Ohio State's running game be fixed?
Ohio State's run game has been average this season. The Buckeyes are averaging 160 yards per game and 4.73 yards per carry, both of which rank in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten. That would be the second-lowest per-possession average of the daytime era. According to TruMedia, Ohio State averages 1.75 yards forward Ranked 77th in FBS in yards per rushing contact, 3.13 back Contact, ranked 73rd.
The Buckeyes allowed 4.43 yards per carry against Minnesota and 4.38 yards per carry against Washington, but against an Illinois run defense on Saturday against Purdue, Ohio State held 6 yards per carry to just 2.86, its second-lowest of the season.
Is Ohio State destined to have a bad game this year? I don't think so.
Looking back at every possession in that game, there are some common themes that make me more optimistic.
First, the offensive line is really good.
Day commented after the game that he thought the offensive line played well and moved their defense when Illinois wanted to run. On a second rewatch, I agree, especially the left side of the line.
Left back Luke Montgomery has been the most consistent forward on the roster this season. Mix him with Austin Sierveld and you have a solid duo on the left wing, save for his missed block on Jeremiah Smith.
As for the right side, I think Ohio State is still experimenting. Tegra Tshabra is the starting right guard, but I don't think he's improved enough from last season's inconsistency to keep that spot regardless of performance. I wouldn't be surprised if Josh Padilla continues to take pictures of him. He played in 13 games on Saturday, according to Pro Football Focus.
However, I don't think the offensive line is the problem, nor do I think the problem lies solely with the running backs. Bo Jackson is out with an ankle injury, which hurts because he's the most explosive of the trio of C.J. Donaldson and James Peoples, even though I think they're good. Would you like to see them break more tackles and make people miss? Yeah, but I thought they hit the right hole for the most part Saturday.
To me, these mistakes were a combination of poor play calling and poor targeting by some tight ends and stretch offensive linemen.
We can point to Sierveld and tight end Max Klare's turnovers as obvious examples, but this wasn't just one game.
It was a creative drive that put the ball in Jackson's hands and the Buckeyes fooled the Illinois defense. You can see that the entire line of text is backwards, but level 2 players read it just fine. That's where you want your linebackers to get to the second level and block, and Ohio State has the numbers to do that.
Tight end Will Kacmarek missed his block, two tight ends caught the same player, and the next two defenders got free shots on Jackson. If the blocks line up, this could be an explosive match.
It's worth noting that there are times when opponents get on offense, so it's never going to be perfect for the Buckeyes, but it looked like they were a step behind all day.
I don't really like this game either.
Ohio State ran the ball well in the first quarter, gaining 59 yards on 12 carries. This throws Illinois off balance because the linebackers are so worried about getting into coverage that they'll exit early. Ohio State runs well, even against a heavy box front.
However, as the game went on, Ohio State became more predictable and the Illini started to just run.
This is a great example.
Ohio State likes to run out of a pistol formation when the running backs line up behind the quarterback. It will incorporate some play action, but in this case, linebacker Myles Scott read the run from start to finish. He timed the snap count well and immediately took right tackle Phillip Daniels off the ball.
Illinois' defensive line also had some good carries, but they read the running game well, especially in the third quarter, where Ohio State was held to just 2.6 yards per carry on 12 carries.
According to TruMedia, in the first quarter, 33% of Ohio State's offense was played inside the eight-man box. Games remaining: 64%. This season, 44.1% of Ohio State's rushing attempts have come against eight or more players in the box, which ranks eighth in the FBS.
This weekend will be a big one for the Buckeyes as they face a strong Wisconsin rushing defense. The Badgers are allowing just 97 yards per game, although they've been weaker in the past few games against Michigan State and Iowa State. If Ohio State wants it, it should have an action game.
This year's Ohio State team needs to establish the passing game to establish the run game because they are so dangerous on the outside. That doesn’t mean the running game can’t be good. The offensive line is good enough to create holes, but can it target players better and become less unpredictable than it did against Illinois?
How good is Ohio State's defense?
Ohio State has arguably the best defense in the country and should be compared to some of the best defenses of this era.
Every time I watch this defense I get more and more impressed with it.
Sure, the 16 points Ohio State allowed to Illinois State were the most of the season and the 295 yards were the most since the season-opening win over Texas, but it was still an impressive performance. The Buckeyes forced three Illinois State turnovers, limited the explosive Illinois passing game to 20 yards and didn't give up a touchdown in the first half for the sixth straight game. They gave up a combined 12 first-half points in six games.
Ohio State was also dominant on third down again, holding the Illini to a 28% conversion rate. The quarter ranked second in FBS with 21.8% viewership.
We're no longer comparing this defense to last year's group; we're comparing it to last year's defense. It's better than that and can lead this team to the playoffs. The conversation will be about what it takes to rank among the best defenses in the College Football Playoff era.
The team has allowed 41 points so far, the fewest in the FBS this season and the sixth-fewest in six games since 2014, according to Stathead. Personally, I think the discussion starts with the 2021 Georgia team, but there are teams like 2018 Clemson, 2016 and 2017 Alabama that deserve consideration.
Now we move on to the 2021 Georgia comparison.
That year, the Bulldogs allowed just 10 points per game and finished second in scoring with 267 yards per game. Georgia also gave up more than two touchdowns just once that season, in the SEC championship loss to Alabama. They were the only team to score fewer than 20 touchdowns that season. Ohio State might be right around that level.
The Buckeyes have given up just four touchdowns in six games and are averaging 229 yards per game.
There will be tough games ahead, especially with the expanded playoffs and a possible run to the Big Ten Championship Game, but if Matt Patricia stays healthy and maintains the same sense of urgency, their defense has the potential to reach those heights.
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