Report card for Ohio State’s win over Illinois

Ohio State never struggled against Illinois on Saturday, though there were a few cracks in the armor if you squint enough. This victory wasn’t as dominant as last week’s against Minnesota, but then again Illinois is probably a better team than the Golden Gophers. But who did better on the team? And who showed some room for improvement? Let’s fill out the report card.

Quarterback: A-

This is the worst grade I’ve given Julian Sayin in a while, which is saying something. He is just so close to perfect every week. The fact that going below 70% completion percentage (with the help of some balls that should have been caught, too) is what knocks him down from an A to an A- says a lot on its own, too.

Running Backs: C-

C.J. Donaldson punched it in twice and Bo Jackson had some nice-looking runs, but this running game is still the team’s weakness. An average of barely three yards per carry with running backs this talented just isn’t where this team should be.

Wide Receivers: A

Another week, another top grade from this receiving corps. They weren’t fully perfect (Jeremiah Smith actually had a “drop” that really hurt a drive), but they were close enough.

Linebackers: A+

The defense as a whole didn’t have its best game of the season (it was probably the worst, but that’s just how dominant the defense has been this year), but the linebackers were their stellar selves. Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles are probably the best duo in the country, and they showed it again. They fly to the ball, can back up the run defense, and are both fast enough to pick up coverage when needed, too. And Payton Pierce got in on the action with an interception off a deflection.

Defensive Line: C+

This was the worst showing by the pass rush all season. Luke Altmaier had way too much time to throw. Sure, they also got home for four sacks, but overall Illinois moved the ball pretty easily. If not for turnovers, this game could have been a lot closer.

Secondary: B+

The passing yards might get blamed on them, but Davison Igbinosun really played a solid game. The success through the air was far more on the defensive line than it was on the defensive backfield.

Special Teams: A

Jayden Fielding was perfect yet again. He’s not asked for much, but he generally does it all perfectly.