(Photo: Clutchpoints)
Intriguing Game- NCAA Football, Week 7
(1) Ohio State Buckeyes at (17) Illinois Fighting Illini
Ohio State (5-0):
The Buckeyes have been on cruise control for most of this season, winning every game on their schedule so far. Their offense in 2025 is a better version of their 2023 unit—and the reason is simple: they have a far better quarterback under center in Julian Sayin. Back then, it was Kyle McCord running the show. Now, trust me when I say this—I love the Georgia Bulldogs’ defense and how they make you believe you have a chance, only to impose their will and take over the game. I’ve said this for years and will defend them until I no longer can. But what I’m seeing from the defending national champions this year on the defensive side of the ball has been unbelievably special. Despite losing key players to the NFL, this current group has found a way to gel and mesh seamlessly. Do you remember how hyped I was when the Buckeyes hired Jim Knowles as their defensive coordinator? He completely turned them around and built one of the best units in the country. Now, Knowles is in Happy Valley with Penn State, and Matt Patricia (yes, the former Patriots defensive coordinator) is running the defense in Columbus. So far this season, Patricia’s unit has yet to allow a touchdown in the red zone and has surrendered only 25 total points: 7 to Texas, none to Grambling, 9 to Ohio, 6 to Washington, and 3 to Minnesota. This Saturday, the champs travel to Champaign, Illinois, for a Big Ten showdown.
Illinois (5-1):
Bret Bielema is one of the more underrated football minds in the game, in my opinion. He knows how to get the best out of a group of young men—and that’s exactly what he’s done with this program, shaping them into a well-rounded football team. I had the chance to preview a few of their games last season, and once again, they’re off to a strong start. When you’re in a conference with Michigan, Oregon, Penn State, and Ohio State, it’s understandable why you might fly under the radar. But Illinois just plays football and finds ways to make you notice them. A few weeks ago, they faced Indiana under the lights in Bloomington. Since then, they’ve rebounded nicely—winning a thrilling home game against USC and defeating Purdue on the road last week. You can’t talk about this Fighting Illini team without mentioning Luke Altmeyer, who I believe is one of the best quarterbacks not just in the Big Ten, but in the country. He’s an explosive passer who generates big plays without making mistakes, always maintaining his composure. In 2025, Luke has completed 73% of his passes and thrown 12 touchdowns with zero turnovers. However, I don’t like that so much pressure has been placed on the offense this year due to an inconsistent defense. The offense often needs to sustain long drives just to give the defense a breather. This week, they welcome the defending champs to town for a highly anticipated Week 7 matchup.
Ohio State X-Factor: Carnell Tate
This is a homecoming for Carnell, a proud Chicagoan. Last year, he was the third option behind Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. This year, he’s emerged as one of Julian Sayin’s top two targets. Tate is an explosive playmaker who can turn short passes into big chunk plays. His versatility allows him to line up in the slot, out wide, or even be used in gadget plays. He’s a serious threat to stretch the Illinois defense vertically and will be a key weapon against an inconsistent Illini secondary.
Illinois X-Factor: Hank Beatty
What can’t Hank do? He’s been a dynamic force for the Illini offense, contributing as a receiver, rusher, and return man on special teams. Beatty has the speed and burst to create separation, and if you lose track of him, he’ll attack down the field in a flash. Although he’s a smaller receiver, he plays bigger than his frame—he’s physical, quick, sure-handed, and has a surprisingly wide catch radius. He rarely makes negative plays and is as dependable as they come.
Final Thoughts:
Week 7 offers a few intriguing matchups, and this is one of them. It will be an “orange out” in Champaign, with fans wearing all orange to support the Illini against the top-ranked team in the country. Would I label this a trap game for Ohio State? You could—but I wouldn’t. Still, the Buckeyes can’t afford to take anyone lightly, or it might cost them.Let’s look at some Keys for Ohio State: Exploit the Illini pass defense using tight ends and slot receivers to create mismatches in the middle of the field, win the line of scrimmage, particularly on offense, as Illinois has a defensive line capable of generating pressure, Establish the run to control tempo and keep the Illini defense off balance & neutralize Hank Beatty—limit his touches and bring him down immediately. Keys for Illinois: Use 12 personnel (one RB, two TEs) to bolster pass protection and give Altmeyer time to throw, control the game tempo and implement a fast-paced offense to disrupt Ohio State’s defensive rhythm and utilize Hank Beatty’s versatility as much as possible to create mismatches. In the end, I expect the Buckeyes to keep rolling and walk away with another win.
