AP PhotoOhio State junior running back Chris “Beanie” Wells runs through Illinois’ Dere Hicks, left, during the first half of Saturday’s game at University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill. Ohio State defeated Illinois 30-20.For 10th-ranked OSU (9-2, 6-1), the win not only served as a bit of revenge after last season’s 28-21 home loss on Senior Day, but also kept their hopes alive for a fourth-straight Big Ten conference title and an appearance in a Bowl Championship Series game.
With temperatures in the mid 30s, gusting winds and a mixture of rain and sleet at Memorial Stadium, coach Jim Tressel kept the Buckeyes on the run. OSU threw for only 49 passing yards on quarterback Terrelle Pryor’s six-for-10, one-touchdown affair, but the season-high 305 rushing yards surely made up for it.
“We knew we would have a lot better chance of winning running the ball,” Tressel said.
The three-headed ground monster consisting of running backs Chris “Beanie” Wells, who had another sensational game on the road, Daniel “Boom” Herron and Pryor made big play after big play and led a one-dimensional offensive to success all afternoon.
In a true role reversal from Illinois’ (5-6 3-4) upset of Ohio State last year, it was the Buckeyes who took the early lead and avoided costly turnovers, which plagued the Illini.
In the first half alone, OSU scored 23 points off turnovers. In the second drive of the game, Illinois quarterback Isiah “Juice” Williams fumbled inside his own 20-yard line, leading to a one-yard touchdown run by Pryor.
It seemed as though Illinois had recovered from the hiccup when the Illini tied the game with an 8-play, 82-yard drive with 5:30 remaining in the first quarter.
But during Illinois’ next possession, OSU cornerback Malcolm Jenkins blocked a punt from Anthony Santella into the endzone for a safety, making it 9-7 Ohio State with 1:10 left in first quarter. On the OSU possession following the turnover, Pryor and company drove 46 yards for a touchdown to make it 16-7.
In what ended up being the last seriously threatening stand of the game, Illinois drove 70-yards and looked poised to score, but an all-out blitz by linebacker Tyler Moeller curtailed the possible comeback.
“You can’t be passive and wait back because they have too many weapons and too much talent,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “You have to attack it and blitz and get after them and not let them take it to you.”
Pryor’s only touchdown pass was a 20-yard strike to receiver Dane Sanzenbacher in the second quarter that made it 23-7.
Illinois made two quick counters in the final minutes, leading to field goals of 28 and 44-yards to end the half with the score 23-13 in favor of OSU, but early mistakes had sealed their fate.
Although both teams traded blows in the second half and Illinois gained some momentum on a third quarter fumble recovery, the end result came to one touchdown a piece, a highlight-reel hurdle by Wells and a 30-20 final score in favor of Ohio State.
On a first down from the Ohio State 30-yard line, Wells sprinted 25-yards and capped the run by soaring over Illinois safety Donsay Hardeman’s head.
The win against Illinois was a positive step toward the Buckeyes’ postseason hopes, but with the heralded Michigan rivalry game on tap, players dare not look past this week.
“When we got to the locker room, there was no BCS talk, there was no Big Ten championship talk, it was all about Ohio State and Michigan,” said wide receiver Brian Hartline. “That is our main focus.”
Dylan Horowitz can be reached at [email protected].
