On October 11th, 2025, the Ohio State Buckeyes are travelling five hours west, to the Gies Memorial Stadium, to play the Fighting Illini, in a FOX-televised noon matchup. Compared to other BIG 10 or college football stadiums, Illinois isn’t a historically difficult place to play. Although having a max capacity of 60,670 and a “home field advantage,” it can still present a challenge for anyone coming into Champaign.
The BIG 10 is known all around the country for its hostile and passionate fan bases. Being ranked #1 in the nation automatically puts more pressure on the Buckeyes…. They are more than two-touchdown favorites, regardless of the dominant win against Purdue.
FanDuel has the Bucks set as a 15.5-point favorite and has the over/under set at 48.5.
Although getting bombed by Indiana and barely escaping a loss against the Trojans, the Illini have been dominant since. Covering the -9.5 point spread, the Illini easily glided through the Boilermakers, winning 43-27. Bret Bielma and his team plan to bring all they’ve got against the defending National Champions.
Comparing stats
Both teams have a strong quarterback and solid defenses. Heading into the game, Ohio State has an undefeated 5-0 record, while Illinois stands at 5-1.
Ohio State’s quarterback, Julian Sayin, has 1,313 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, and leads the nation with a 78.8 completion percentage. Illinois quarterback Luke Altmeyer has 1,573 passing yards and 12 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions, going into their week 6 matchup.
The Buckeyes’ biggest advantage is their defense. Ohio State’s Caden Curry is coming in with five sacks through just four games. Allowing only 5.5 points per game, 132 passing yards, 97.3 rushing yards, and 229.3 total yards per game, the Silver Bullets have one of the best defenses in the country. Not only is Defensive Coordinator Matt Patricia’s scheme impressive, but it also pushes other teams like Illinois to play better than average if they want a chance to not only win, but also keep their momentum going.
Illinois has been beaming with Luke Altmeyer’s passing ability. On September 29th, he was recognized as the CO- Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, highlighting his accuracy, determination, and grit, especially when leading his team to victory in an overtime win. Last week against Purdue, Luke threw for 390 yards, which was a career high. Ohio State will likely focus on disrupting the Illinois passing game and leveraging its defensive strengths.
Lakota West Graduates
One interesting subplot of the game is the numerous Lakota West graduates who are competing in the game. Ohio State has 3 Firebirds: Tegra Tshabola, starting Offensive Guard, Malik Hartford, a rotational safety, and Bukari Miles, a backup Cornerback for the Buckeyes. Illinois has only one Lakota West graduate, Class of 2025 Linebacker Grant Beerman, who is in his first year at Illinois and hasn’t seen much of the field as of yet.
Lots of Lakota West students are waiting in anticipation for this game. Sam Harold, a sophomore here at Lakota West, specifically says he is “decently excited” for this game. Sam is a big Ohio State fan and has been one his whole life. He says the keys to this game are extending the play calling and throwing the ball down the field and finding their star receiver, Jeremiah Smith. “Ohio State 58, Illinois 13” is his score prediction for this game, as long as they can stick to these keys for the game.
