The Ohio State Buckeyes tightened the screws Saturday and left little doubt in a 34-16 win over the Illinois Fighting Illini, and coach Ryan Day used the postgame moment to send a firm but measured message to his team about consistency and expectations.
“One thing is we keep pushing them about being consistent in their approach,” Day said after the victory via Steve Helwagen of 247 Sports. “We’re only halfway through the season. The guys who we didn’t know about going into the season, they’ve now proven that they belong. Now, what do we want this team to look like as we continue to grow and build?”
The point Day was trying to make is that Ohio State expects steadiness. The Buckeyes backed Day’s words with turnovers turned into points, as three takeaways produced 21 points, and a balanced attack that never let Illinois seize momentum. Quarterback Julian Sayin completed 19-of-27 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns, and running back C.J. Donaldson scored twice on the ground as Ohio State football controlled the game tempo. While a Jeremiah Smith injury brought a brief scare, it turned out to be nothing.
Defensively, the Buckeyes made big plays. They forced Illinois into mistakes early and frequently, converting short fields into scores and grinding down the Fighting Illini’s resistance. That defensive bite allowed Ohio State to build a multi-possession lead and then manage the second half without panic, a practical demonstration of the consistency Day preaches.
Day also praised the growing maturity on the roster, pointing to players who arrived this season and have now proven they belong at this level. “They’re competitive. They’re edgy. They like these types of environments and they want to be great and they expect to be great,” he said.
Illinois rode pockets of fight, including a fourth-quarter touchdown that narrowed the gap, but mistakes and short fields repeatedly undercut any sustained comeback. The Fighting Illini finished with 248 passing yards from Luke Altmyer, but committed turnovers at bad moments, and Ohio State’s ability to cash those errors into points proved decisive.
With the Buckeyes now at the season’s midpoint, Day made the expectation explicit that there is no time to slack off; they need to maintain this form. He warned that college football’s grind will test teams and that internal unity must remain an advantage. With Indiana breathing down Ohio State's neck in the Big Ten, there's a lot of work still to do.
