4 Takeaways From Ohio State's Win Over Illinois on 'Big Noon Saturday'

The Illibuck Trophy — a carved wooden turtle awarded annually to the winner of the Ohio State vs. Illinois rivalry — has called Columbus home since 2007. It’s not going anywhere.

The top-ranked Buckeyes extended their dominance over the Fighting Illini with a convincing 34-16 win on Saturday, securing the trophy for the 10th consecutive year and adding yet another statement to their undefeated season.

Here are my takeaways:

1. Buckeyes' defense remains dominant

Ohio State is becoming one of the best defenses of the modern era.

Heading into Saturday’s game, the Buckeyes ranked No. 1 in the nation in scoring defense, yards allowed per game, and third-down defense. They were also second in sacks and third in passing defense. The only major defensive category where Ohio State wasn’t in the top 10 was turnovers — they ranked 11th.

Matt Patricia's defense looked outstanding again on Saturday, forcing three turnovers — an interception and two fumbles — all of which led to Ohio State touchdowns. The Buckeyes did surrender a pair of touchdowns for the first time this season, after holding opponents out of the end zone entirely through the first five games. But the second score came with under five minutes to play, long after the game had been decided.

Through six games — including three conference matchups and a season-opening win over then–No. 1 Texas — Ohio State is allowing just 6.8 points per contest.

That’s dominance.

2. Altmyer’s Heisman campaign is done

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer might become one of the best players this season not included in the Heisman conversation. The reasoning? His struggles against top-10 opponents.

Altmyer finished 30-of-44 for 248 yards and a touchdown on Saturday, but he threw a timely interception on the team's first possession of the game and was sacked four times in the loss. The senior QB had a perfect 15-0 TD-to-INT ratio before he lined up across from the Buckeyes.

Even dating back to last season, Altmyer has struggled against elite competition. He went 16-of-25 for 185 yards with a touchdown and an interception against No. 9 Penn State, and 17-of-35 for 161 yards with two interceptions against No. 1 Oregon.

I expected Saturday’s game to be an uphill battle for Altmyer and Illinois — and that's exactly what it was.

3. Sayin’s Heisman campaign takes flight

Julian Sayin is the quarterback Arch Manning was expected to be.

Heading into Saturday's matchup, Sayin had the best completion percentage of any player in the country (80.2%). The Buckeyes' first-year starter was on point again in a hostile road environment, completing 19 of 27 passes for 166 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Julian Sayin finds Bo Jackson for a 17-yard touchdown to extend Ohio State's lead over Illinois.

But more than anything, Sayin is a winner. He was 30-4 as a starter at Carlsbad High School, and now he's off to an impressive 6-0 start as the Buckeyes' starting QB.

Sayin's Heisman odds skyrocketed to +1400 following the Buckeyes' win, giving him the seventh-shortest odds to win the award.

4. Ohio State’s run continues

The Buckeyes are now 20-2 over their last 22 games. One of those losses was to an Oregon program that finished the 2024 regular season 12-0 — a team they later beat in the College Football Playoff — and Michigan, a team that Ohio State hasn't beaten since 2019.

Unless your name is Michigan or Oregon, you just can’t beat these Buckeyes when they show up to your house. They tend to make your house their house — like Rick James on Charlie Murphy’s couch.

Ohio State has now beaten Illinois in each of the last 11 meetings in Champaign.

4 ½. Chasing history

No Big Ten team has won back-to-back national titles since Minnesota did it in 1940 and 1941 — before World War II ended. But in what might be the most chaotic and competitive era college football has ever seen, Ohio State looks like a real threat to end that drought. The Buckeyes are doing it with a first-year starting quarterback, new play-callers on both sides of the ball, and the lingering weight of a four-game losing streak to Michigan.

RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him @RJ_Young.

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