It's Ohio State against the World, and the World keeps losing

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It's Ohio State against the World, and the World keeps losing

Blake Toppmeyer, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Sat, Oct 11, 2025 ·

3 min read

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Around the Buckeye State, the natives say it's Ohio Against The World .

That amounts to backward look at this college football season.

It's the World Against The Buckeyes . The World keeps losing. Keeps getting smushed.

No. 17 Illinois became the latest Big Ten carcass left chewed up and spit out by Ryan Day's thresher.

Toppmeyer: Nick Saban can rip the Big Ten, but put respect on Ohio State's dominance

Ohio State Buckeyes running back CJ Donaldson Jr. (12) reacts during the first quarter against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium.
(Ron Johnson-Imagn Images)

Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. (7) dances during warm ups prior to the NCAA football game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Oct. 11, 2025.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) throws downfield during the first quarter against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium.
(Ron Johnson-Imagn Images)

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) runs for a gain during the first quarter against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium.
(Ron Johnson-Imagn Images)

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Kayden McDonald (98) motions to the Illinois Fighting Illini student section as the team takes the field prior to the NCAA football game at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Oct. 11, 2025.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) warms up prior to the NCAA football game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Oct. 11, 2025.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

Oct 11, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; A Ohio State Buckeyes fan cheers during the first quarter against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium.
(Ron Johnson-Imagn Images)

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Kayden McDonald (98) celebrates a fumble recovery after stripping the ball from Illinois Fighting Illini running back Ca'Lil Valentine (5) during the first half of the NCAA football game at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Oct. 11, 2025.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Kayden McDonald (98) strips the ball from Illinois Fighting Illini running back Ca'Lil Valentine (5) and recovers the fumble during the first half of the NCAA football game at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Oct. 11, 2025.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Garrett Stover (23) celebrates a tackle by cornerback Bryce West (12) on a kickoff during the NCAA football game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Oct. 11, 2025. Ohio State won 34-16.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch, Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Tywone Malone (95) celebrates a tackle of Illinois Fighting Illini running back Aidan Laughery (21) during the NCAA football game at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Oct. 11, 2025. Ohio State won 34-16.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch, Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. (7) celebrates a fumble recovery by defensive lineman Kayden McDonald (98) during the NCAA football game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Oct. 11, 2025. Ohio State won 34-16.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch, Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Payton Pierce (26) celebrates an interception with linebacker Sonny Styles (0) and cornerback Davison Igbinosun (1) during the NCAA football game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Oct. 11, 2025. Ohio State won 34-16.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch, Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles (0) tackles Illinois Fighting Illini tight end Jordan Anderson (23) during the second half of the NCAA football game at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Oct. 11, 2025. Ohio State won 34-16.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch, Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates a touchdown with offensive lineman Luke Montgomery (51) during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Oct. 11, 2025. Ohio State won 34-16.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch, Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

The No. 1 Buckeyes aren't the nation's flashiest team, nor its most explosive.

They're just so stinkin' resolute, to the point of being borderline boring. That's a feature, not a bug.

Searching for an Ohio State weakness amounts to a snipe hunt. You can look the Buckeyes over from every angle, from front to back, from top to bottom, and there's no apparent crack in this machine.

Ohio State smothered the Illini, 34-16 , at Memorial Stadium.

The sell-out crowd filled every nook and cranny here hoping against logic they'd witness a stunner. By the end of the third quarter, scores of orange-clad students headed for the exits in the north end zone. Minutes later, Ohio State scored again, and hundreds more beelined out of the stands.

No drama to witness here. Just another clinically precise Ohio State performance.

Never mind the caveats, because Ohio State looks so darn sturdy

The Buckeyes left gas in the tank, too. This amounted to a vanilla, ho-hum performance. Ohio State even — gasp! — allowed two touchdowns, after they hadn't allowed one since Week 3. At no point, though, was this outcome in doubt. The Buckeyes had this win in the bag well before halftime. No point showing off all the gadgets.

We can add all the tried and true caveats. Some Southerner is probably already on hold for Monday's "Paul Finebaum Show," waiting to exclaim that, Pawwwllllll , Ohio State ain't played nobody!

Fine, but Ohio State's also avoided flops like Penn State experienced at UCLA or Alabama endured at Florida State or the Texas debacle at Florida.

And, go ahead, label the Illini a pretender after they got steamrolled by Indiana and dismantled by Ohio State. The Buckeyes don't need to apologize, though, for smashing a top-20 opponent.

Unless Day's Buckeyes drift into old habits and experience another seizure upon sight of maize and blue, it's difficult to envision them being pushed before the Big Ten championship game.

Julian Sayin keeps slinging completions

Ohio State's defense is suffocating. It forced three Illini turnovers.

True freshman running back Bo Jackson is developing nicely.

The offensive line protects quarterback Julian Sayin as if he's in possession of the nuclear codes.

Sayin is accurate and steady-handed, and every quarterback in the country must envy Sayin that he gets to throw to this group of incomparable wide receivers. If only every red-zone fade pass looked so smooth as the one Sayin tossed to Jeremiah Smith. More throws like that, and the Heisman Trophy spotlight eventually will find Sayin.

The spotlight keeps focusing on the wrong former five-star quarterback. Truth is, Sayin performs more like a Manning than the guy at Texas with those seven letters on the back of his burnt orange jersey.

We might not know just how good Ohio State really is until it faces Oregon or Indiana the first weekend of December. Until then, the best we can do is trust our eyes. My eyes see a flourishing quarterback, a fierce defense, excellent receivers, and a defending national champion that hasn't broken its stride.

It's the World Against The Buckeyes, and the World is the underdog.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ohio State football smashes Illinois, makes it look easy

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Never mind the caveats, because Ohio State looks so darn sturdy

Julian Sayin keeps slinging completions