Buckeyes Survive First Road Test

After four consecutive homes games to start their season, the Ohio State Buckeyes faced their first road test in Champaign, Illinois on Saturday.

And a test it was…

The No. 2 ranked team in the nation had to battle and claw their way to a 24-13 victory against the Illinois Fighting Illini.

At one moment early in the third quarter, things got really scaring for the Buckeyes when star quarterback Terrelle Pryor had to be helped to the sidelines as OSU clung to a 14-10 lead.

With less than 5 minutes remaining, things became even more uneasy for the Bucks when the Illini marched right down field. It was then that Illinois head coach Ron Zook elected to kick a field goal on fourth down to make it 17-13, rather than going for the tying touchdown.

Pryor, having returned to the game, proceeded to lead the Buckeyes the length of the field for the game clinching touchdown with 1:49 to go.

The narrow victory was no surprise as Illinois has historically played the Buckeyes tough, winning 11 of the last 25 meetings before Saturday. Early on, the Illini made it clear they would put up yet another struggle.

After a three-and-out on offense, the Buckeyes surrendered the ball to Illinois taking over at their own 45 after a short punt into a sturdy wind. The Illini then drove 55 yards led by redshirt freshman quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase who capped off the drive with a 3 yard touchdown run to make it 7-0.

Not to be outdone, Pryor struck right back, galloping effortlessly for 66 yards before hitting Brandon Saine on an 8-yard TD pass that tied the game with 6:17 left in the first quarter.

Illinois had a chance to move back ahead, but Derek Dimke's 41-yard field goal try came up short due to the swirling, stiff wind.

For most of the game, it seemed as though each offense could never get in a rhythm and the defenses controlled the tempo.

Ohio State's defense held Illinois to 251 total yards, and stud running back, Mikel Leshoure, to just 80 yards on 19 carries after Leshoure entered the game with four straight 100-yard rushing games. The aforementioned, Scheelhaase, was 12-of-22 for 109 yards passing.

Pryor was held considerably in check by the Illini D. The Heisman candidate ran for 104 yards and was 9-of-16 for 76 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

Buckeye running back Boom Herron put in a workmen like performance and came up big in the second half on the ground. Herron ended up with 23 carries for 95 yards and the eventual game clinching touchdown run.

Improving to 5-0, and keeping their National Championship hopes alive, Ohio State returns back to Columbus next Saturday to take on the Indiana Hoosiers.

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