How to Watch: Illinois Football at Ohio State in Week 4

Ready or not, here they come: Illinois may be coming off a 48-10 win over Southern Illinois and objectively its best overall performance of the season, but to suggest the Illini (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten) are prepared for what Ohio State (2-1, 0-0) will throw at them Saturday in Columbus (11 a.m. CT, FOX) would just be disingenuous.

The Buckeyes, who rebounded from a desultory loss to Texas in Week 2 with a ritual sacrifice of Kent State in a 59-3 win last week, will be in no mood to toy around with Illinois at The Shoe. OSU is riding a 10-game winning streak in this series, and although the Illini pushed the Buckeyes a bit last year, the end result was an 18-point loss in Champaign. Illinois' best chance Saturday will be to catch Ohio State eyeballing a matchup at Iowa next week and Indiana later next month – and to catch a handful of breaks along the way.

How to watch: Illinois at No. 7 Ohio State

Day and time: Saturday, Sept. 26 at 11 a.m. CT
Venue: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
TV/Stream: FOX
Listen: WDWS-AM 1400 and WDWS-FM 93.9 (Champaign)
WLS-AM 890 (Chicago)
Illini Sports Network affiliates (other local markets)
Fighting Illini Mobile App
SiriusXM 179/233
SXM App

Game 4️⃣ on the road. pic.twitter.com/lggsUB7X6R
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) September 21, 2026

Odds and ends

lllinois vs. Ohio State all time: 30-70-4
Streak: Ten wins in a row for Ohio State
Last meeting: 34-16 win for Ohio State on Oct. 11, 2025

By the numbers

Team	2026 record	PPG	PPG allowed	3rd down success %	3rd down % allowed	Red zone scoring %	Red zone scoring % allowed	TOs	Opposing TOs
Illinois	2-1	39.0	21.3	42.9	34.9	80.0	100.0	0.7	0.7
Ohio State	2-1	46.0	10.0	36.3	34.8	88.2	83.3	1.3	2.0

Even in light of sandwiching matchups against Ball State and Kent State around a visit Texas in the season's first three weeks, Ohio State is ringing up wildly impressive scoring numbers. The Buckeyes' third-down success hasn't been a strength, but the big-play explosiveness of quarterback Julian Sayin, receiver Jeremiah Smith and others have more than made up for it. Illinois' wobbly new defense needs to find its footing immediately.

The Illini have done well to protect the ball, mostly take the pressure off quarterback Katin Houser and mix in sa fair share of chunk plays (mostly to receiver Collin Dixon) with steady drives. They'll likely have to rely on the offense – and hope it can be darned near perfect against a stout, playmaking Buckeyes D – to make up for the holes in its own defense.

Pick to click

That return man won't be necessary, CMU.@IlliniFootball's Ethan Moczulski nails the 5️⃣9️⃣-yard FG as time expires in the first half.#B1GFootball on Peacock 💻 pic.twitter.com/qZAGqfjput
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 14, 2024

Odd as it sounds, Illini kicker Ethan Moczulski may have to play a huge role in any upset bid in Saturday's matchup in Columbus. Ohio State's defense is formidable, and it's going to be keyed on Dixon (seven touchdowns through three games) and keeping a sharp eye out for Illini offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr.'s sleight of hand. Through three games, it has allowed opponents only six red-zone trips – and only three touchdowns on those occasions.

Realistically, Illinois' offense isn't likely to finish as effectively against OSU as it has up to this point. But Houser, Dixon, a cadre of solid running backs and Lunney's wizardry should ensure the Illini are able to put Moczulski in position to take some shots at the uprights. If Illinois' defense can rise to the occasion, Moczulski has the accuracy (his only miss this season was a 62-yard prayer) and big leg to possibly keep the Illini within striking distance.

Illinois on SI preview

It takes a nimble mind to imagine a scenario in which the Illini might upend the Buckeyes, whom some experts still believe to be college football's best team, in their backyard. The optimist would point to Illinois' most recent win over OSU, all the way back in 2007, when the Buckeyes were stunned 28-21 in Columbus. But those Illini went 9-4 and had a demonstrably higher grade of talent across the board than this crew.

Anything is possible, as Oklahoma State, UMass and (almost) Western Michigan have showed us already this season. But the odds are set against Illinois – and in a very big way. Illini Nation might take refuge in the fact that one in 20 is worlds more promising than one in a million, but any betting man or woman is putting their money on the Buckeyes this week.

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