Ohio State football: 5 reasons the Buckeyes will crush Illinois

2. Illinois’ defense can’t stop anyone.

Much like their offense, the Fighting Illini haven’t proven to be a great force on defense. Teams have basically been able to get whatever they want from an offensive standpoint. This is especially puzzling since head coach Lovie Smith was known for his defensive prowess.

Smith played defense throughout his athletic career and eventually began coaching as a defensive coordinator. His first professional gig was with the St. Louis Rams where he improved their defense from the worst to a much stronger unit. Maybe Smith can pull off the same magic in Illinois but so far it isn’t looking too great in his second season.

The Illini are third to last in the Big Ten in total defense while giving up the third most touchdowns. This development could be because of the struggling offense as they’ve hardly managed to put any points on the board. The offense cannot stay on the field long enough to keep opposing offenses off the field.

The defensive struggles of the Illini are music to the Bucks’ ears as they are the best scoring offense in the Big Ten. The Bucks have made their hay beating up on below average defenses this season. They’ve scored 50 points or more against bottom five Big Ten defenses so far.

The Bucks should have no problem putting their offense to work against the Illini who have no defensive strengths in particular. However, the Bucks should still proceed with caution as the Illini have absolutely nothing to lose. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Illini give a final effort against the Bucks as many teams do. This is because they know a win against the Bucks would still make their season special regardless of their record. Expect the Bucks to take care of business against a soft Illinois defense.