Buckeyes prolong Illini’s misery
Losing streak at nine; Ohio State dominates, clinches East Division
COLUMBUS, Ohio — This one was over before it started. But when the game did start, Ohio State made sure it was over then, too.
Favored by 41 points, the No. 9 Buckeyes scored on their first six possessions — including J. T. Barrett’s 100th career touchdown pass — on the way to a 52- 14 victory Saturday that extended Illinois’ skid to nine games.
“If you stay in coaching long enough, you have games like this where the [ other] team is better than you from start to finish,” Illi- nois coach Lovie Smith said.
“They dominated us on both sides of the football. We had an opportunity early on a third- down play, and we got a penalty. It was all downhill from there.”
Now Ohio State ( 9- 2, 7- 1 Big Ten) can look ahead to Michigan and trying to find the narrow path back into the playoff hunt.
Coach Urban Meyer this week had refused to talk about the future beyond the game Saturday, which was played in sheets of driving rain.
The win, coupled with Wisconsin’s victory over Michigan, gave the Buckeyes the East Division title. If Ohio State beats Michigan next Saturday and then upends No. 5 Wisconsin, the Buckeyes would have an outside shot at making the playoff, even with two losses.
Barrett, playing in his last game at Ohio Stadium, threw for two touchdowns and ran for another.
“There’s a last thing for everything,” Barrett said. “With that, I tried to do my best while playing here at Ohio Stadium.”
Barrett became the school’s alltime leader in rushing yards among quarterbacks ( 3,070), eclipsing Braxton Miller’s total. The 22- yearold Texan, who now holds 35 Big Ten and school records, was honored along with 18 other seniors in a ceremony before the game.
Barrett was 11- for- 19 for 141 yards, with backups Dwayne Haskins and Joe Burrow playing most of the second half. Running back Mike Weber picked up 108 yards on 11 carries and scored twice, including on a 43yard breakaway in the first quarter.
The Buckeyes led 28- 0 after the first quarter and 38- 0 at halftime when heavy rain rolled through, slowing the pace in a messy second half. They had 543 yards of offense.
“Winning in the Big Ten is difficult,” said fifth- year senior center Billy Price, who started his school record 52nd consecutive game. “It’s rugged, it’s physical. So to come out with everybody healthy, getting the victory, playing pretty well, executing at a high level for an offense, it feels good. We’re moving on.”
Ohio State’s defense limited the Illini ( 2- 9, 0- 9) to a season- low 105 yards. They didn’t make a first down until near the end of the first half and finished with just five.
After Haskins fumbled in the third quarter and Illinois’ Ahmari Hayes ran it back for a touchdown, Meyer decided to put his starting offense back in as the rain picked up. It was 38- 7 at that point.
“I just didn’t want it to turn into a clown show, which it looked like for a minute,” Meyer said.
“He was very upset,” Barrett said. “I saw him. He’s known for putting his starters back in, so I went to find my [ knee] braces and my helmet because I didn’t have any of those things.”
The backups eventually went back in.
The takeaway
Illinois: The Illini were hapless as a second disappointing season under Smith drags on. With so many true freshmen on the field, the Big Ten’s worst team had trouble doing anything against the Buckeyes.
Ohio State: The Buckeyes did what they were supposed to do, piling up points on Senior Day. On to Ann Arbor.