No. 1 Ohio State turns turnovers into romp past No. 17 Illinois

Field Level Media|published: Sat 11th October, 16:17 2025

Ohio State Buckeyes running back Bo Jackson (25) scores a touchdown over Illinois Fighting Illini defensive back Matthew Bailey (7) during the first half of the NCAA football game at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Oct. 11, 2025.

CJ Donaldson Jr. ran for two touchdowns, Julian Sayin passed for two more scores and No. 1 Ohio State scored 21 points off turnovers in a 34-16 victory over No. 17 Illinois 34-16 on Saturday at Champaign, Ill.

Sayin was 19-of-27 passing for 166 yards and Jeremiah Smith had five receptions for 42 yards for Ohio State (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten). The Buckeyes entered the game having allowed 25 points, the fewest in the nation.

Luke Altmyer was 30-of-44 passing for 248 yards with one touchdown and one interception for Illinois (5-2, 2-2) while Hank Beatty had seven receptions for 48 yards. The Illini outgained the Buckeyes 295 yards to 272 in the defeat.

Ohio State led 20-10 in the third quarter before going 63 yards on a 14-play drive that used up 7:52 and culminated in Donaldson's 1-yard run for a 27-10 advantage with 2:12 left in the third.

Altmyer was then strip-sacked by cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. at the Illini 24-yard line and Smith scored on a 2-yard reception to make it 34-10 with 13:25 remaining.

A 4-yard TD pass from Altmyer to Collin Dixon with 4:28 to play made it 34-16 after a failed two-point conversion.

The Buckeyes took advantage of numerous Illini mistakes for a 20-3 halftime lead.

Up 3-0, Buckeyes linebacker Payton Pierce intercepted Altmyer at midfield and Ohio State capped a six-play 35-yard drive with a 1-yard run from Donaldson for a 10-0 lead.

After Illinois punter Keelan Crimmins inadvertently downed himself at the 35 when his knee touched the ground fielding the snap, Jayden Fielding made a 31-yard field goal to give Ohio State a 13-0 lead.

After the Buckeyes' Kayden McDonald recovered a fumble at the Illinois 26, Bo Jackson scored on a 17-yard reception with 3:48 remaining in the first half for a 20-0 lead.

The Illini drove to the 1-yard line late in the first half but a false start led to a 24-yard field goal by David Olano with 1:08 left to keep two Ohio State streaks alive: not conceding a first-half touchdown or allowing a TD in the red zone in nine tries by opponents this season.

The latter streak was snapped early in the third quarter when Illinois' Aidan Laughery ran in from the 1 on fourth down to make it 20-10. It was the first rushing TD allowed by the Buckeyes this season.

-- Field Level Media