Notes from Illinois Game

OSU lost the first game of the season to Illinois last Saturday, 28-21. Both teams traded two touchdowns in the first quarter. Although the run that setup up the Illini first touchdown, an 80 yard run by Dufrene should have resulted in a fumble, but in a questionable move the play was not reviewed by the officials. It appears the Ohio State defense went into the game with the mindset of forcing Juice Williams to win with his arm, and he ended up having one of the biggest games of his career, completing four touchdown passes. Who would have guessed, that Williams, a QB that typically wins with his feet and not his arm, could enter the game with eight passing touchdowns and then complete four against the highly ranked defense of Ohio State? Ohio State forced him to win with his arm, and that he did. With the success in the air, the ground game opened up and the nation's leading rush defense allowed the Illini to get 260 yards on the ground. The offense, in particular Boeckman, had a bad day. Boeckman threw three interceptions. Ohio State cannot win the game with three turnovers especially when Illinois did not turn the ball over.