What Ohio State Coach Ryan Day Said About Illinois Ahead of Week 4

Ohio State coach Ryan Day on Wednesday previewed his team's Week 4 matchup with Illinois, set for Saturday (11 a.m. CT, FOX) in Columbus. Here’s what he had to say specifically about the Illini – both on the offensive side and defensive side of the ball:

Ohio State coach Ryan Day on Illinois’ offense

“Illinois brings in a great challenge for us,” Day said. “Bret [Bielema], for a long, long time, has done a really good job on offense, – obviously, with the offensive line, the way they run the ball. I think their quarterback’s playing well. They do some unique things.

“Really do a good job in particular on second down, the way that they attack you. Bring in some different things. They ran some tempo against us last year, so it’s going to be a great challenge for our guys.”

It would be easy to overlook in an 18-point loss, but Illinois' offense turned in a truly stellar performance against Ohio State last year, all things considered. Putting up 16 points – the most any Buckeyes opponent totaled prior to the College Football Playoff – despite three turnovers was impressive.

But that was last year. Can the Illini, led by quarterback Katin Houser, replicate that on the road in 2026 (and also cut down on the turnovers)? Any scoring will be tough to come by against this Ohio State defense, which is every bit as sturdy as the 2025 unit.

Side note: Day referencing Illinois’ second-down ability is funny timing but certainly would please Bielema. Lately – including on Monday when previewing Ohio State – Bielema has harped on second down being the “forgotten down." It’s clear he emphasizes second-down success. Seemingly, based on Day’s comments, it has paid dividends in Illinois’ on-field performance.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day on Illinois’ new defense under Bobby Hauck

“Every play is a movement, a twist, a pressure,” Day said of the Illini defense. “When you have linemen who have played before, they at least have a reference point on how to handle that. They all have to be on the same page and working together to handle some of that movement. If you’re sort of one-on-one, you can get yourself out of whack.

“They always try to get an edge of a player and they do an excellent job of that. [Illinois defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck] and his system, and what he did at Montana, and now, creates a lot of havoc. We have to be really good in what we’re doing. It does help to have a veteran line that’s been through some of that before.

“But it doesn’t make it easy. These guys are good. They play really hard. So we have to get vertical on these guys and have opportunities to get around the edge when appropriate. At the end of the day, we can’t take negative plays, because that’s what they feed off of.

That's an Ean Rhea sack!

📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/MMY5TSgm62
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) September 4, 2026

This Illinois defense may not be churning out the results the fan base is looking for – at least not yet – but it isn’t an uneventful watch. It’s predicated on movement and creating chaos, and Day clearly is wary of its effects.

The Buckeyes' experienced offensive line would seem to be better equipped than most to handle the strain Illinois’ defense puts on that position group – communication and O-line synergy is of the utmost importance – but it may be less than whole Saturday.

Ohio State starting right tackle Phillip Daniels, who missed Week 3, was listed as questionable for Week 4 on Wednesday’s injury report. The Buckeyes have already allowed five sacks in three games. If Daniels isn’t back – and even if he is – there may be some vulnerability there the Illini pass rush can exploit.

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