NCAAF · ILLINO at OHIOST
Picks close 15 minutes before game time (ET)Your Picks on Illinois vs Ohio St.
Spread
Moneyline
Total
Both teams enter 2-1, but their latest performances provide limited guidance for Ohio State's 26.5-point spread or the 53.5 total.
Illinois visits Ohio State at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, September 26, for the Buckeyes' first Big Ten football game of the 2026 season. Kickoff is noon ET, or 11 a.m. CT, on FOX, as confirmed by both schools.
SportsJaw lists Ohio State at -5,000 moneyline and Illinois at +1,500. The spread is Ohio State -26.5 (-110), with Illinois +26.5 (-110). Those prices make Ohio State the substantial favorite, but identifying the favorite does not establish a worthwhile wager.
Ohio State beat Kent State 59-3 on September 19, producing 527 yards, including 382 passing yards. Julian Sayin completed 18 of 22 passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns. The Buckeyes scored touchdowns on their first three possessions and led 35-0 at halftime.
Kent State's account also supplies reasons to look beyond the final score: Ohio State converted just one of eight third downs, was stopped twice on fourth down in the first half and threw two second-half interceptions. Those details temper an otherwise emphatic result.
Illinois beat Southern Illinois 48-10. Katin Houser completed 23 of 29 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns, while Collin Dixon caught eight passes for 131 yards and both scores. Illinois also rushed for a season-high 198 yards. That production matters, but one performance against Southern Illinois cannot establish how Illinois will fare against Ohio State.
The total is 53.5, with over 53.5 (-112) and under 53.5 (-109). Both offenses produced substantial yardage last week, but those separate matchups do not provide a dependable scoring expectation here.
The evidence does not establish an edge on either side of the spread or total, or justify either moneyline price. Pass is the selection, with no projected winner or score.