COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The scene was throwback Big Ten. Dark, rainy and a near total lack of a Buckeye passing game.
It all worked to perfection.
Ohio State handled Illinois 30-0 during a rainy, gray Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
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The Bucks struck first with defense, as Brian Rolle intercepted Illinois QB Juice Williams and returned the ball into Illini territory. Aaron Pettrey connected on a 50-yard field goal to put OSU ahead 3-0. The Bucks put together a decent drive to start the second quarter with several Brandon Saine runs. Pettrey kicked a 46-yard field goal for a 6-0 OSU lead.
Then as a torrential downpour errupted, so did the Bucks. OSU drove 80 yards without throwing a pass, finishing the drive with a 9 yard TD run by Boom Herron. 13-0 OSU led with 7:30 to play in the half. The Bucks fought off a late second quarter drive by the Illini to take that lead to halftime. Terrelle Pryor attempted two passes in the entire 1st half, completing neither.
Pryor quickly took care of that as the Bucks opened the second half with his first completion, followed by a 23 yard QB keeper to set up a short Herron TD run. With the Bucks leading 20-0, Lawrence Wilson turned in the second interception of Williams on an athletic play where Wilson tipped the pass to himself for the pick. The Bucks drove downfield and Pettrey kicked his third field goal for a 23-0 lead.
OSU completed the scoring with 1:18 to play when Pryor rolled right and tossed to Dane Sanzenbacher for the final score in a 30-0, dominant performance.
It was the second straight shutout for the OSU defense, who last week held Toledo to less than half its season average in yardage. It's the first time since 1996 season the Buckeyes have posted consecutive shutouts.
"When your defense can throw another shutout it makes it a lot more fun..."OSU head coach Jim Tressel said. "We talked about the fact we have to be focused despite rain, delays, 6 hour game... We came out of the gate in the Big Ten the way we should."
The Bucks open Big Ten road play next Saturday at Indiana. The game kicks at 7 p.m.
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