The No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes begin conference play at home against the Illinois Fighting Illini on Saturday in Week 4. college football match on FOX.
Ohio State beat Kent State last week and Jeremiah Smith made history along the way. Smith passed Michael Jenkins to become the Buckeyes’ all-time leader in receiving yards with 2,958. Now, Smith and Ohio State turn their attention to Illinois, a team the Buckeyes haven’t lost to since 2007.
Illinois rebounded from its Week 2 loss to Duke with a 48-10 win over Southern Illinois, shutting out the Salukis in the second half. Quarterback Katin Houser threw for a season-high 305 yards and two touchdowns as the Fighting Illini rushed for a season-high 198 yards. Aidan Laughery led the way with 93 yards on the ground.
Now, Bret Bielema and Illinois travel to Columbus to face a top-10 Ohio State team that hasn’t lost at home since 2024.
Let’s take a look at the odds No. 7 Ohio State vs. Illinois at DraftKings Sportsbook as of September 26th.
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Money line
- Ohio State: -4000 (bet $10 to win $10.25 total)
- Illinois: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
SPREAD
- Ohio State -27.5: -115 (bet $10 to win $18.70 total)
- Illinois +27.5: -105 (bet $10 to win $19.52 total)
Over/Under
- Above 53.5: -115 (bet $10 to win $18.70 total)
- Under 53.5: -105 (bet $10 to win $19.52 total)
Illinois @ Ohio State Preview, Pick
From FOX Sports Research:
Ohio State hasn’t lost to Illinois in nearly two decades, dating back to Jim Tressel’s tenure. The Buckeyes have won all 10 meetings since then by an average of 23.8 points. None have been decided by one possession, and Illinois has scored fewer than 20 points in six of those.
Ohio State went 34-18 last season when Julian Sayin was in his first year as a starter and Illinois had a three-year starter on offense. This time, Sayin has a full season under his belt, while the Fighting Illini have a new quarterback in Katin Houser.
Houser has played in “The Shoe” before. Starting at Michigan State in 2023, he completed 12 of 24 passes for just 92 yards as the Spartans scored three points. He will hope for a better performance this time, but the result will be the same.
Buckeyes roll in their Big Ten opener.
Pick: Ohio State -27.5
How to view no. 7 Ohio State v. Illinois
- Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026
- Time: 12:00 PM ET
- TV: FOX
- Transmission: Watch 3 days for free on FOX One, FOXSports.comThe FOX Sports app
- Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
