Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 16 Illinois Fighting Illini
Saturday, 10/15/11, 3:30 PM EST, TV: ABC
Opening Point Spread: Illinois -6
Current Betting Line: Illinois -3.5
Opening Total: 44
Current Total: 44
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Ohio State enters Saturday with an 0-2 Big Ten record for the first time since 1993, losing back-to-back games for the first time in 88 games, which snapped the longest such streak in the nation. The Buckeyes are coming off a 34-27 loss to the Nebraska Cornhuskers as 10-point road underdogs, giving up a season-high 423 yards of total offense. “We’ve got to get a few stops on defense,” commented Buckeyes coach Luke Fickell. “That’s what it comes down to.” Ohio State is 23-8 ATS over the last two-plus years and the ‘under’ is 17-13 in that situation.
The Buckeyes do possess a solid backfield with Jordan Hall and Carlos Hyde combining for 132.9 yards per game. Ohio State is also eagerly anticipating the season debut of Dan Herron, who had been suspended for all games prior to this weekend. He rushed for 1,555 yards and 16 touchdowns a year ago. Freshman quarterback Braxton Miler is also expected to play, connecting on 5 of 8 passes for a touchdown before leaving last week’s game in the third quarter with an ankle injury.
Illinois returns to Memorial Stadium with a perfect 6-0 record and coming off a 41-20 win over Indiana as 14-point road favorites. The Fighting Illini have actually won seven games in a row when dating back to last season under head coach Ron Zook. “We’re a good team,” commented Zook. “But as I told them to be a great team, we’ve got to do a lot more.” One thing the program has thrived on is creating turnovers, causing at least one in 21 consecutive games, which is the longest current streak in the nation. Illinois is 3-10 ATS as a home favorite of 3.5 to 7 points.
The Fighting Illini are led offensively by quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase, who ranks fifth in the nation and second in the Big Ten in passing efficiency. He has also thrown 23 touchdowns and just four interceptions over his last 13 games. The main target in the passing game is Biletnikoff Award candidate A.J. Jenkins, who has 18 catches for 450 yards and five touchdowns in the last two games, which is the most receiving yards in a two-game span in the conference’s history.
Bettors will likely back the Fighting Illini due to their 10-4 ATS mark in conference games, while the Buckeyes are 3-3 ATS on the year.
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