COLUMBUS, Ohio -- And everyone thought Ohio State's defense might be a weakness coming into this year.
Boy, what a mistake that was.
The Buckeyes picked up their second consecutive shutout with Saturday's soggy 30-0 whitewash of an Illinois team that had been touted all week as being explosive on offense. It exploded, all right.
It was the first time Ohio State has had back-to-back shutouts since Nov. 2-9, 1996, against Minnesota and at Illinois.
"The coaches have done a great job of preparing us," defensive back Kurt Coleman said. "We're loose and flying around. We rely on each other."
Illinois was completely bamboozled by the Buckeyes' defense. When they weren't confused by the defense, they were making penalties and turning the ball over to kill drives with very little provocation.
"We wanted to make them one dimensional and we made a lot of big plays out there," linebacker Austin Spitler said. "It has to do with the mindset of being scrappy. They can drive, but we never give in."
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The Illini gave credit to Ohio State's defense but were perplexed that they were never able to get closer than Ohio State's 29-yard line.
Asked what's wrong with the Illini attack, receiver Arrelious Benn was mystified.
"I have no clue," he said. "I just don't know what it is ... with the type of talent we have. We drive and drive and don't finish. It's something we have got to figure out what the problem is and fix it."
Ohio State permitted Illinois just 82 yards rushing on 34 attempts, an average of 2.4 yards per carry. When quarterback Juice Williams or backup Eddie McGee passed, it was usually even less effective. They combined to complete 15 of 29 passes for just 88 yards with three interceptions. They were sacked five times.
"We've got to jump-start this program immediately," Williams said. "Time's ticking. The season is coming along and we've got to find an answer."
On this day, the answer was: Ohio State's defense.
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FOR THE DEFENSE: Here are some other stats concerning the Buckeyes defense:
- It has allowed fewer than 10 points 22 times since the start of the 2006 season.
- It has allowed only one touchdown - the game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter of the 18-15 loss to Southern California in the second game of the season - over the last 11 quarters.
- Linebacker Brian Rolle recorded his second career interception when he picked off a pass by Juice Williams in the first quarter. He returned it 39 yards to help set up Ohio State's first field goal.
- Defensive lineman Todd Denlinger had a sack and a career-high two tackles for loss.
- Defensive lineman Thaddeus Gibson tied a career high with two tackles for loss and finished with a career-best seven tackles.
- Defensive lineman Lawrence Wilson picked off his second career pass in the third quarter and also had two pass breakups.
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TRESSEL LANDMARK: The victory was the 500th for the Tressel family.
Family patriarch Lee Tressel was 155-52-6 from 1958-80 at Baldwin-Wallace, Dick Tressel was 124-102-2 at Hamline from 1978-2000 and Jim Tressel is now 221-77-2 in 24 years at Youngstown State and with the Buckeyes.
"I've never seen the locker room so excited," Buckeyes defensive lineman Todd Denlinger said. "We were all congratulating the Tressels on winning 500 games. It's a great day to be a Buckeye."
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REVENGE MOTIVE: All week, Ohio State's players said they weren't playing for revenge. But, at the same time, it's clear that they never forgot what happened two years ago against Illinois.
The Illini held the ball for more than 8 minutes at the finish to preserve a 28-21 lead to stun the top-ranked and unbeaten Buckeyes, 28-21. Then the Illini celebrated at midfield, an act that many Buckeyes saw as disrespect. They felt that the Illini were stomping on the Block O logo.
There were hard feelings even before the opening kickoff Saturday. Ohio State's players massed atop the school logo at the 50 and traded taunts with the Illini, who ran right up to the Buckeyes. Coaches kept them separated and no punches were thrown.
There was jostling after tackles a couple of times, a late hit here and another there. Defensive back Kurt Coleman put a helmet-to-helmet lick on quarterback Juice Williams late in the game.
Yet linebacker Brian Rolle said the Buckeyes weren't about getting back at the Illini.
"We didn't come into today with revenge (on our minds)," he said. "We knew what had to get done and we came in here to prove ourselves and win the game. ... This was a new year with a new team. Many of us, myself included, were only freshman or sophomores that year (2007) and didn't play much in that game so we just wanted to come in today and get out on top."
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FIGHTING MD: Notice those patches on the shoulders of the coaches' jackets?
The lime green football in a square heralded an initiative by the American Football Coaches Association called "Coach to Cure MD." Coaches at all levels wore the patches to raise awareness and research funding for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the most prolific genetic killer diagnosed in childhood.
Both Jim Tressel and Illinois' Ron Zook wore the logos.
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QUICK-HITTERS: Ohio State had only 82 passing yards, it's worst production since, well, Illinois a year ago. Pryor threw for only 49 yards in 2008's 30-20 win in Champaign, Ill. ... FS Donsay Hardeman led the Illini in tackles with eight, tying his career high. ... Ohio State hits the road to play Indiana at 7 p.m. Saturday night. ... The Illini host Penn State on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
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