The reigning College Football champions continue their strong run this season as they look to defend their title. On their visit to Illinois, Ryan Day’s Ohio State Buckeyes delivered a solid win and remain firmly on track.
Once again leaning on the exceptional talent of Julian Sayin, the Buckeyes came away with a 34–16 victory, allowing them to remain undefeated this season.
Following the game, head coach Ryan Day spoke to the media and shared his initial thoughts on the matchup, specifically highlighting the intensity his players brought to the field.
“I thought we came in early and had really good energy match the intensity of the environment,” Day told FOX’s Jenny Taft. “I thought we played well early on, and then I just, I wish we could finish the game a little bit stronger. We kind of took our foot off the pedal, so I got to take a deep breath right now.
Garrett Stover #23 of the Ohio State Buckeyes.
“But there was a lot of really good moments, a lot of big stands down there by our defense. A lot to grow upon and build upon.”
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Eyes on what’s next
Next Sunday, October 18, the Buckeyes will head to Wisconsin to face the Badgers — a matchup that will undoubtedly serve as a major test for a team already focused on what lies ahead.
“I think you just got to keep getting better,” Day said. “I thought we played physical in the game. They have a great team and a really good quarterback, so I thought defensively we played hard and found ourselves with some long drives, eating up a lot of clock.
“I thought we really did do a good job finishing down in the red area, got physical. All that was good. We’ll keep looking at what we gotta get better at. But as you know, we just got to keep getting better week after week. So we’ll get back, enjoy this a little while, and it’s on to Wisconsin.”
Staying on track
Fresh off a dominant start to the season, the Ohio State Buckeyes know their road back to the National Championship Game runs through a grueling Big Ten slate. With key matchups looming against ranked conference foes, the reigning national champions must maintain their focused, week-to-week dominance. For the Buckeyes, the mandate is clear: keep piling up wins to solidify a top College Football Playoff seed and earn the right to defend their crown.
