Ohio State football vs Illinois live updates, score, highlights, stats

The Ohio State football team dominated Kent State 59-3. Still, OSU coach Ryan Day said he left the field feeling unsatisfied.

“I can’t sit here and tell you that anything’s exactly where we want it right now,” he told reporters during his postgame press conference.

One particular area in which Day is looking for improvement is in the run game, and Illinois is the perfect “get-right” opponent for that. The Fighting Illini squad the Buckeyes are facing today is giving up 131 rushing yards per game, ranking them 74th nationally.

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Follow all of today’s action here with The Columbus Dispatch’s live blog.

06:35 AM ET, September 26 2026, Lori Schmidt

• Spread: Ohio State by 27.5

• Over/under: 53.5

• Moneyline: Illinois +1900 / Ohio State -5000

Moneyline: Illinois +1900 / Ohio State -5000

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Sept. 25.

06:31 AM ET, September 26 2026, Lori Schmidt

Here is the Ohio State football 2026 schedule. The Buckeyes are 2-1 this season.

• September 5: Ohio State 56, Ball State 3 | Ohio Stadium; Columbus, Ohio

• September 12: Texas 24, Ohio State 23 | Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium; Austin, Texas

• September 19: Ohio State 59, Kent State 3 | Ohio Stadium; Columbus, Ohio

• September 26: vs. Illinois | Noon | Ohio Stadium; Columbus, Ohio

• October 3: at Iowa | 3:30 p.m. | Kinnick Stadium; Iowa City, Iowa

• October 10: vs. Maryland | TBA | Ohio Stadium; Columbus, Ohio

• October 17: at Indiana | TBA | Memorial Stadium; Bloomington, Indiana

• October 31: at USC | TBA | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum; Los Angeles, California

• November 7: vs. Oregon | TBA | Ohio Stadium; Columbus, Ohio

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• November 14: vs. Northwestern | TBA | Ohio Stadium; Columbus, Ohio

• November 21: at Nebraska | TBA | Memorial Stadium; Lincoln, Nebraska

• November 28: vs. Michigan | Noon | Ohio Stadium; Columbus, Ohio

September 5: Ohio State 56, Ball State 3 | Ohio Stadium; Columbus, Ohio

September 12: Texas 24, Ohio State 23 | Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium; Austin, Texas

September 19: Ohio State 59, Kent State 3 | Ohio Stadium; Columbus, Ohio

September 26: vs. Illinois | Noon | Ohio Stadium; Columbus, Ohio

October 3: at Iowa | 3:30 p.m. | Kinnick Stadium; Iowa City, Iowa

October 10: vs. Maryland | TBA | Ohio Stadium; Columbus, Ohio

October 17: at Indiana | TBA | Memorial Stadium; Bloomington, Indiana

October 31: at USC | TBA | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum; Los Angeles, California

November 7: vs. Oregon | TBA | Ohio Stadium; Columbus, Ohio

November 14: vs. Northwestern | TBA | Ohio Stadium; Columbus, Ohio

November 21: at Nebraska | TBA | Memorial Stadium; Lincoln, Nebraska

November 28: vs. Michigan | Noon | Ohio Stadium; Columbus, Ohio

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football vs Illinois live updates, score, highlights, stats