Illinois Cruises Past Purdue, Sets Up Big Ten Showdown vs. No. 1 Ohio State

No. 22 Illinois (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) needed to beat Purdue (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten) on Saturday. Whether by blowout win or nail-biting victory – with the former being much preferred – the Illini just needed to add their fifth tally to the win column ahead of the much-anticipated matchup with No. 1 Ohio State in Week 7.

Illinois sneaks past Purdue

Oct 4, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer (9) looks to throw a pass against the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

And, although it was a bit nerve-wracking throughout, and it never felt as though Illinois was entirely in control, Bret Bielema’s crew did get it done.

The Cannon is staying with us. pic.twitter.com/B2O1nZ2OgQ
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) October 4, 2025

The offense rolled, as quarterback Luke Altmyer threw for 390 yards and a touchdown, with just three incompletions (19-for-22). Wide receiver Hank Beatty reeled in five catches for 186 yards and a score, while kicker David Olano – coming off a game-winning field goal against USC a week ago – went a perfect 5-for-5 on field goals and 4-for-4 on extra points.

Automatic. @DavidOlano_ is 5-5 on the day.

Tune in on @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/iu6TX2QVJp
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) October 4, 2025

Illinois did much of its offensive work in the second quarter, pouring 27 on Purdue to carry a 27-14 lead into the break after trailing 7-0 at the end of one quarter. The lone struggle on that side of the field came in the run game, with the Illini managing just 2.9 yards per carry (41 carries for 117 yards).

Defensively, though, it was a different tale. Yet again, the Illini were unable to get off the field. This time around, it was the run defense that fell short, giving up 6.0 yards per carry, along with three touchdowns. (Purdue ran for 151 yards and three scores on 25 carries.)

Defensive coordinator Aaron Henry’s crew did a so-so job against Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne – who did pass for 302 yards (but on 50 attempts, which included 30 mostly dink-and-dunk completions). Still, the Illini yielded 453 yards to a mediocre-at-best Boilermakers offense that largely did what it wanted on Saturday. If it wasn’t for two Purdue turnovers, Illinois very well may have given up 40-plus to the home team.

Turning the page to No. 1 Ohio State

Still, a win is a win. The Illini are 5-1 entering their matchup with OSU coach Ryan Day and his top-ranked Buckeyes – which is exactly where many projected Illinois to be in the preseason.

Yet after their showing against Indiana in Week 4, any outcome seems possible for the Illini next Saturday. Fortunately for them, home-field advantage will be working in their favor, along with what appears to be a mostly healthy roster.

Ohio State’s defense is one of the stingiest in the country, but Altmyer has shown time and again that he’s more than capable of putting together scoring drives against any defensive unit under reasonable conditions. But this week there's no assuming his offensive line will give him time, which will be a tall task against the Buckeyes’ front four.

The biggest question, though, lies on the other end of the field: Can Illinois’ defense get enough stops to keep things close?

According to the past three weeks, the answer would be a hard "no." That said, Illinois’ defense has shown flashes, notably when it (mostly) shut down Duke and quarterback Darian Mensah in Week 2. Also, few defenses force turnovers at a higher clip than the Illini, and their ability to force the Buckeyes’ largely inexperienced quarterback (redshirt freshman Julian Sayin) into mistakes may prove to be paramount in giving Illinois a puncher’s chance in Week 7.