Ohio State Capitalizes on Illinois Turnovers to Secure 34–16 Victory, Remains Undefeated

The No. 1 Buckeyes forced three key turnovers and turned each into touchdowns, powering past No. 17 Illinois in Champaign to stay perfect at 6–0.

COLUMBUS, Ohio | The nation’s top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes (6–0, 3–0 Big Ten) continued their undefeated run Saturday with a 34–16 win over No. 17 Illinois (5–2, 2–2) at Memorial Stadium in Champaign. Ohio State’s defense and opportunistic offense proved the difference, converting all three Illinois turnovers into touchdowns that set the tone for a dominant road performance.

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer struggled under pressure, tossing one interception and losing two fumbles—each costly. The Buckeyes’ defense, led by Sonny Styles with 10 tackles and eight solos, swarmed the pocket and disrupted the Illini rhythm throughout the afternoon.

On offense, freshman quarterback Julian Sayin showed poise beyond his years, completing 19 of 27 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Jeremiah Smith led the receiving corps with five catches for 42 yards and a score, while running backs Bo Jackson and CJ Donaldson Jr. controlled the ground game, combining for 106 yards and two touchdowns.

The Buckeyes’ balanced attack and defensive discipline helped them outgain Illinois 106–47 on the ground and dominate time of possession. Head Coach Ryan Day praised his team’s “focus and composure on the road,” emphasizing how turnovers and special teams execution made the difference.

With the win, Ohio State improves to 6–0 overall and 3–0 in Big Ten play, keeping its sights firmly set on another College Football Playoff run. The Buckeyes now turn their attention to next week’s showdown against Wisconsin in Madison. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS Sports.

======

-- By James A. Wright

© Copyright 2025 JWT Communications. All rights reserved. This article cannot be republished, rebroadcast, rewritten, or distributed in any form without written permission.