No. 1 Ohio State Capitalizes on Illini Turnovers, Win 34-16

Saturday, October 11

Urbana-Champaign, IL

12:00 PM

Ohio State

6-0 , 3-0

Illinois

5-2 , 2-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Ohio State

Illinois

No. 1 Ohio State Capitalizes on Illini Turnovers, Win 34-16

10/11/2025 3:40:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 1 Ohio State (6-0, 3-0) took advantage of three No. 17 Illinois (5-2, 2-2) turnovers on its way to a 34-16 win at Memorial Stadium Saturday in Champaign. Illinois fumbled twice and the Buckeyes intercepted Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer once and took advantage with touchdowns after each miscue. Julian Sayin completed 19-of-27 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns for the Buckeyes. Jeremiah Smith had one receiving touchdown on five catches for 42 yards. Bo Jackson and CJ Donaldson Jr. rushed the Buckeyes to a 106-47 lead on the ground with Jackson carrying 10 times for 47 yards and Donaldson scoring twice on 13 carries for 44 yards. Sonny Styles led the defense with 10 tackles, including eight solos. The Buckeyes remain on the road to face Wisconsin next Saturday in Madison. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. with CBS Sports providing the national broadcast.

First Quarter

No. 1 Ohio State 10, No. 17 Illinois 0

Ohio State and quarterback Julian Sayin opened the game with the ball after Illinois won the pregame coin toss and deferred to the second half. From their 25 after a touchback, Sayin opened with a completion for 11 yards to Brandon Inniss over the middle. On third-and-8, Sayin connected with Jeremiah Smith for 18 yards on a crossing pattern to the ILL44. Carnell Tate then got into the action for a gain of 11 through air to the ILL33. The Buckeyes struck with the run game with a 17-yard rush by freshman Bo Jackson over the left side to the Illinois 16. Jackson carried twice more for gains of 3 each time up the middle to the ILL10. Sayin guided the Buckeyes to the Illinois 8 before Jayden Fielding connected on a 26-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. The opening drive covered 67 yards on 12 plays while using five minutes, 25 seconds. Luke Altmyer started under center for the Illini and moved Illinois to its 43 before Ohio State’s Payton Pierce intercepted a tipped ball and retuned it 15 yards to the Illinois 35. CJ Donaldson Jr. gained 15 yards for the Buckeyes on two carries for a first down at the Illinois 20. Smith got to the Illinois 7 after a reception of 13 down the right side. James Peoples and Donaldson each rushed for 3-yards to the Illinois 1 before Donaldson punched it in for the touchdown and a 10-0 lead with 3:40 on the clock. The score after the turnover covered 35 yards on six plays. Illinois started from its 20 after a return by Jordan Anderson. The Illini called timeout after a rush for 16 and an incompletion. After the break Illinois failed to gain a yard for force a punt. The Buckeyes took over at their 27 after a punt of 37 yards. Sayin converted on third down for a gain of 11 to Tate at the OSU29 for a first down. The quarter ended with Ohio State at their 45 following an 11-yard Jackson gain.

Kolton Stover, Ohio State vs Illinois 10/11/2025

CJ Donaldson, Ohio State vs Illinois 10/11/2025

Second Quarter

No. 1 Ohio State 20, No. 17 Illinois 3

Ohio State opened the quarter with an incompletion and was forced to punt. Joe McGuire delivered a 39-yard effort to the Illini 16. The Buckeyes were called for pass interference at the start of Illinois’ possession to mover the ball to the ILL16. Altmyer drove Illinois to its 49 after converting on a fourth-and-1 following a short gain. Ohio State’s defense held and Illinois was forced to punt. Illini punter Keelan Crimmins caught the snap with his knee down at the Illinois 38 to give the Buckeyes the ball after a turnover on downs. Max Klare opened Ohio State’s drive with a 10-yard catch to the ILL28. Tate then recorded an 11-yard catch over the middle to the Illinois 17. The Illinois defense got the stop leading to a Fielding 31-yard field goal for a 13-0 lead with 6:43 left in the half. After a touchback, Illinois fumbled at their 26 on the first play from scrimmage. Kayden McDonald forced and recovered it for the Buckeyes with 6:28 to go. Sayin moved the Buckeyes to the ILL17 before Ohio State called a timeout. After the break, Jackson caught a swing pass to the left and took it 17 yards for the score with 3:48 left. The drive after the turnover gave the Buckeyes a 20-0 lead. Following a touchback, Altmyer quickly moved Illinois to the OSU40 with completions of 17, 15 and 8 yards. A Kaden Feagin rush of 9 moved the Illinois to the Ohio State 31. The clocked stopped for the two-minute timeout at the OSU25 following a completion of 6 yards to Jordan Anderson. Illinois then scored three plays later on a 16-yard touchdown pass to Justin Bowick with 1:23 to go in the half. Ohio State was called for pass interference on the play and the play was then ruled incomplete to negate the score. The Illini moved to the OSU1 on a shovel pass before the Buckeyes called timeout with 1:12 to go. After the break, Illinois was called for a false start for a loss of 5 to the OSU6. Ohio State called another timeout. Illinois followed with an incompletion on third-and-6 leading to a 24-yard field goal by David Olano to make it 20-3 Buckeyes. Ohio State was forced to punt on its next possession to give Illinois the ball at their 40 after a 34-yard McGuire kick. The half ended after the Buckeyes sacked Altmyer at the ILL34.

Third Quarter

No. 1 Ohio State 27, No. 17 Illinois 10

Illinois opened the half with the ball and quickly drove to the OSU20. The Buckeyes held Illinois out of the endzone on an Altmyer rush left just short of the goal line. Facing a fourth-and-goal and just inches shy of a touchdown, the Illini scored on a 1-yard pitch right to Aidan Laughery to make it 20-10. The opening drive of the half covered 75 yards on 12 plays while using 4:54. Sayin moved the Buckeyes to the ILL42 on Ohio State’s second play of their next possession on a 22-yard completion to Max Klare. Illinois called a timeout with the Buckeyes facing third-and-6 from the Illinois 37. The Illini were called for offsides after the break and the Buckeyes got the first down on a 4-yard completion to Will Kacmarek. After a Smith rush for 6 and an Ohio State timeout, Donaldson rushed for 8 over the left side to the Illinois 15. The Buckeyes kept the drive alive on a fourth-and-1 at the Illinois 6 on a 3-yard Saying keeper. Three players later, Donaldson got the touchdown over the right side for a 27-10 Ohio State lead. The drive answered the Illinois score with 14 plays covering 63 yards while using 7:52. Illinois was forced backwards on after a sack and fumble to give the Buckeyes the ball at the Illinois 24. Jermaine Mathews Jr. got the sack and forced fumble that was recovered by Caden Curry. Sayin threw an incompletion before hitting Tate for 8 yards to the ILL16. Donaldson earned a first down with a 4-yard carry right of center to the Illinois 12. Donaldson added another carry of 4 yards right up the middle to end the quarter with Ohio State at the ILL8.

Fourth Quarter

No. 1 Ohio State 34, No. 17 Illinois 16

Donaldson opened the quarter with a 5-yard run up the middle followed by a Nate Roberts carry up the gut for a yard and a first down at the Illinois 2. The Buckeyes called timeout and then Sayin connected with Smith for a 2-yard score in the back right corner of the endzone for a 34-10 lead. The Illini were stopped at their 30 and punted it away. The Buckeyes took over at their 23 after a 45-yard kick. Ohio State punted it back to the Illini on the next possession. Illinois took over at its 39 after a 37-yard McGuire punt. On the move, Illinois started quick with a 17-yard completion to the OSU44. The Illinois earned positive yardage on each of its next five plays before a rush for no gain on third-and 1 at the OSU21. After a short rush for a first down, the Buckeyes were flagged for pass interference to move the ball to the OSU4. Illinois reached the endzone on the next play on a pass over the middle to Collin Dixon. A two-point conversion attempt failed to make it 34-16 Buckeyes with 4:25 left in the game. The Buckeyes ran some clock with three-consecutive rushes before an Illinois timeout with 2:49 left. Ohio State punted it away, a 41-yard McGuire effort that put the ball on the Illinois 20 after a touchback. Altmyer hit Cole Rusk for 17 yards to the Illinois 36 before the two-minute timeout. After the break, Altmyer connected for gains of 15 and 20 yards to the OSU29. Arvell Reese then sacked Altmyer for a loss of 10 back to the OSU39. Illinois called timeout with 1:32 to go. Altmyer responded with a 14-yard strike to Rusk to the OSU25. The Buckeyes then got the ball back on downs after a pair of incompletions. Ohio State then ran out the clock for the 34-16 win.