Ohio State @ Illinois preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 1, 2014 ) Illinois 14, Ohio State 55

Sophomore J.T. Barrett will return as Ohio State's starting quarterback when the third-ranked Buckeyes visit Illinois in Big Ten play Saturday. Barrett was suspended for last week's game against Minnesota after being arrested for driving under the influence and has been reinstated and anointed the starter by coach Urban Meyer.

Junior Cardale Jones guided the Buckeyes to their 22nd consecutive overall victory and record-tying 29th straight conference win last Saturday, but Meyer had no qualms turning back to Barrett. "It's a mistake made - a serious mistake - by a kid that's really lived most of his life mistake-free," Meyer said at a press conference. "He's a kid who's human." Illinois ended a three-game skid with a 48-14 thrashing of Purdue last Saturday but will find it challenging to compete with powerful Ohio State. "They're real good," Fighting Illini interim coach Bill Cubit said at a news conference. "They've got great talent, they do a good job coaching and their schemes are fantastic."

TV: Noon ET, ABC. LINE: Ohio State -16.

ABOUT OHIO STATE (9-0, 5-0 Big Ten): Barrett has passed for seven touchdowns and rushed for seven more as an offense averaging a Big Ten-leading 37.3 points has operated more smoothly with him at the helm. Junior running back Ezekiel Elliott has rushed for 1,244 yards and 14 touchdowns - his consecutive 100-yard outings streak stands at 14 - and he moved up to fourth in school history with 3,384 yards after passing Chris "Beanie" Wells (3,382 from 2006-08) in the Minnesota game. Junior defensive end Joey Bosa has a team-best 12 tackles for losses while junior safety Vonn Bell was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after matching his career best of 10 tackles and returning his ninth career interception 16 yards for a touchdown.

ABOUT ILLINOIS (5-4, 2-3): Junior quarterback Wes Lunt has been intercepted just four times while passing for 2,000 yards and 12 touchdowns, and he has a talented target in senior receiver Geronimo Allison (56 receptions for 756 yards). The duo of freshman Ke'Shawn Vaughn (team-best 665 rushing yards) and senior Josh Ferguson (514) each had big performances in the win over Purdue as Vaughn rushed for a career-high 180 yards and Ferguson added 133. Senior free safety Clayton Fejedelem has a team-best 100 tackles while junior strong safety Taylor Barton (four interceptions) and senior cornerback Eaton Spence (three) have combined for seven of the Illini's 11 interceptions.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Ohio State holds a 66-30-4 series lead and routed Illinois 55-14 last season.

2. Illini junior DT Rob Bain is tied for the national lead in blocked kicks with three (two extra points, one field goal).

3. Buckeyes senior WR Braxton Miller (neck) is expected to play after leaving the game against Minnesota.

PREDICTION: Ohio State 37, Illinois 17