Ohio State 42, Illinois 19: 3 Things We Learned From The Buckeyes' Win

The Ohio State Buckeyes improved to 3-1 in the 2026 college football season with a 41-19 win over Bret Bielema and the Illinois Fighting Illini on Saturday inside Ohio Stadium. 

There were some positive takeaways from the game, including the play of star WR Jeremiah Smith, who finished with 12 receptions for 217 yards and 4 touchdowns. 

However, there were also some concerning signs, including the Buckeyes' running backs continuing to struggle to break off long runs and the defense failing to generate a single three-and-out all day. 

Tony Gerdeman of BuckeyeInsiders.com joins host Tom Orr to discuss three key takeaways from the game. 

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