GAME PREVIEW: Ohio State Launches Virtual Season at Illinois
After six frustrating months of waiting and hoping, the Ohio State football season will be making its return (albeit virtually) Saturday at high noon in Champaign, Ill. The Buckeyes, ranked No. 2 in all preseason polls, officially commence their 2020 schedule here on BuckeyesNow with a road affair against Illinois.
FULL BETTING LINES: (leave your picks in comment section)
Spread: Ohio State (-22.5)
Over/Under: 61.5
Ohio State Team Total: 42
Illinois Team Total: 19.5
Prop Special: Justin Fields Passing Yards (227.5)
Fields, a Heisman Trophy favorite, spearheaded the #WeWantToPlay movement as a true leader and now looks to build on a season that saw him post 51 total touchdowns and throw just three interceptions. His primary target, wideout Chris Olave, racked up 849 receiving yards and 12 TD’s last fall.
Transfer running back Trey Sermon is expected to get the nod behind Fields, as the former Oklahoma Sooner compiled more than 2,000 yards and 25 touchdowns in Norman. He was part of three Big 12 championship teams but will now be running behind standout guard Wyatt Davis and company.
Defensively, the senior linebacking trio of Tuf Borland, Baron Browning and Pete Werner combined for 162 tackles last year while preseason All-American Shaun Wade anchors the secondary.
Illinois head coach Lovie Smith, entering his fifth year at the helm, rocks one of the best beards in college football and is looking to finally elevate his program back over .500 this fall. The Fighting Illini have gone from a 2-10 record, to 4-8, to 6-7 under Smith after Illinois made the REDBOX Bowl last season.
Guiding Smith’s offense will be redshirt senior quarterback Brandon Peters, a Michigan transfer now in his second season for Illinois. The dangerous 6-foot-5 gunslinger was recently on the Johnny Unitas “Golden Arm Award” Watch List.
The squad will be looking to establish a new running back after losing two-headed monster Reggie Corbin and Dre Brown. Out wide, any number of aerial threats could potentially assert themselves in the passing game.
Ohio State last played Illinois in 2017, running away with a 52-14 victory in Columbus behind 28 first-quarter points. The last matchup in Champaign, however, was much closer as the Buckeyes had to work for a 28-3 triumph. Ezekiel Elliott delivered a pair of rushing scores in the second half that day to solidify the outcome.
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