Three Instant Observations From Illinois' 34-16 Loss to Ohio State

The excitement of college football's top-ranked team, FOX's "Big Noon Kickoff" and national attention all coming to Champaign on Saturday was quelled – and pretty quickly – when No. 17 Illinois fell behind No. 1 Ohio State and got dragged to the finish of a 34-16 loss.

The Illini (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) were measured by the Buckeyes (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) and came up well short, which ultimately tracked with expectations. Bret Bielema might look back with his players and staff, and decide that it was only a few key plays cost them – a turnover here, a penalty there, a missed tackle, a poor coaching decision. The reality: Ohio State is the best team in college football, and Illinois isn't in its class. Not yet, anyway.

Here are three more big takeaways from the Illini loss to the Buckeyes:

1. Digging their own graves with early holes

Illinois receiverHudson Clement — Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. (7) defends Illinois Fighting Illini wide receiver Hudson Clement (13) during the first half of the NCAA football game at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Oct. 11, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Illini have managed to get away with it against lesser competition this season, but early mistakes and missed opportunities against opponents at the level of Indiana and Ohio State are all but impossible to overcome. For all the talk of Illinois' discipline and resolve under Bielema, the Illini have been guilty of a number of preventable and, frankly, inexcusable gaffes in their biggest games this season.

Quarterback Luke Altmyer's first interception of the season – a ball that probably shouldn't have been thrown – led to a 10-0 first quarter deficit, and punter Keelan Crimmins' taking a knee while trying to retrieve a low snap – a monstrous blunder – set the Buckeyes up to run the score up to 20-0 in the second quarter. Perfection may not be a reasonable expectation over a four-quarter football game, but every misstep against a beast like Ohio State is a potentially fatal one.

The Illini punter had his knee down before the punt and so Ohio State has the ball at the 38 yard line pic.twitter.com/OPxpCUgkHj
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) October 11, 2025

2. Ohio State's defense is the genuine article

If there had been any doubt about the legitimacy of the lauded Buckeyes' defense – maybe an outside hope among Illini fans that it was little more than a paper tiger – just take a look at the claw-marked corpse of Illinois' offense. On Saturday, Ohio State suffocated the run game, forced three turnovers (doubling the Illini's season total) and made multiple breathtaking goal-line stands. Forget all the NFL pedigrees for a moment. The Buckeyes have assembled a killer college football defense.

ANOTHER FUMBLE AND OHIO STATE HAS IT AGAIN@OhioStateFB continues to be unstoppable on defense 🔒 pic.twitter.com/Fi1hUANGcx
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 11, 2025

Ignore the final yardage totals (Illinois actually outgained Ohio State, 295 to 272). The Buckeyes routinely took the ball on a short field on offense before falling back later in the game on defense to bleed the clock. Their six tackles for loss (including four sacks), three takeaways and success rate on third downs (the Illini converted only four of 14) were a more accurate reflection of the rag-dolling they gave the home team.

3. The officials blew it ... and so what?

Illinois fans can (and likely will) complain about the officiating from Saturday's game, based on a few questionable and seemingly critical calls. In the first half alone, there was the overturned Cole Rusk catch (which didn't present enough clear evidence on replay to change the call) and no-calls on clear OSU pass interference violations (particularly when Buckeyes cornerback Davison Igbinosun roughed up Illini receiver Justin Bowick and failed to play the ball on third-and-goal at end of the first half).

No flag was thrown on this play 👀

Do you agree with the call? pic.twitter.com/WIzvqqfXj8
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 11, 2025

If you're counting on the refs to bail you out of an 18-point home loss, you aren't ready for primetime. In addition to the mistake on punt team, Illinois was stung by a key dropped pass, imploded with a false start (one of three on the day) on a third-and-goal play at its own 1 and allowed an easy quarterback sneak for a touchdown when it lined up with a gaping hole over center. Commit those mistakes against Western Illinois, and you have plenty more plays to make up for it. Do it against Ohio State? You're roadkill.