that's your top game? do you mind if I ask why? Historical reference? Illinois winning 3 of their last 4 by exactly 3? OHST starting to look a little better on offense and getting Boom Herron back?
Warning, Illinois is a pretender. Dont drink the punch... they will lose this game straight up Illinois vs TOSU: OHST +4
Well I have said Illinois is a pretender since day 1 and haven’t seen too much reason to change my mind but let’s break this down. My early lean is Ohio State.
TOSU (24/17) 3-3 SU, 3-3 ATS, 2-4 Over/Un
Ill (34-17) 6-6 SU, 3-3 ATS, 3-3 Over/Under
So obviously Ill is averaging 10pts a game more and Ohio State’s offensive woes have been very publicized but do we assume we will see the offense from the first half of last week or the offense we have seen in every other game (point Illini). We all know Illinois can put up numbers; they are an extremely well balanced team putting up 210 on the ground and 224 through the air at home, while TOSU is giving up 236 on the ground and 157 through the air on the road. At home against a team they haven’t beaten since 07, (haven’t beaten at home since 91) and ranked as high as they have been in years… the offense should be ready to go. The big question mark in this game is whether or not their defense can contain Boom Herron and Braxton Miller. Herron has been suspended while Miller has seen limited playing time but looked phenomenal against Nebraska before his injury. This offensive unit averages 208 on the ground and 71 through the air in road games this year (169-146 in all games) and Illinois’s defense has looked solid, holding opponents to 79 on the ground and 217 through the air so that’s another thing Illini fans can cheer about. However with their star running back returning as well as having a great dual threat QB under center, look for OHST to put up one of their better offensive outings of the year. I can’t throw a ton of relevant stats at you because this isn’t the same OHST team that only loses a game or 2 each year. A stat like TOSU is 13-3 in all conference games over the last 3 season’s makes you have confidence in them, until you hear 2 of the losses were in the previous 2 games. Meh as far as this season goes, they beat Colorado by 20, Lost to a good Mich St team by 3, should have beat Nebraska had they not lost their QB (IMO), and are just a better team than people give the credit for. Illinois on the other hand, won 3 games in a row by 3 points before getting down by 10 early last week in a game against Indiana before coming back and winning by 21 but meh I’m unimpressed. True ASU is good, Western Mich is underrated, and NW is extremely unpredictable and plays some good teams very well, but they’ve been flirting with fire for weeks now, they haven’t beaten OHST in 8 tries at home, OHST is embarrassed from last game and with their star running back returning look for them to come out with a lot of enthusiasm, trying to avoid starting off their conference schedule 0-3 and simply winning this game. Im not calling it a 4 star pick but I definitely feel it gets 3. TOSU +4.
***Don’t forget the added pressure an undefeated record brings****
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