QUARTERBACKS

Juice Williams had his best game of the year last week and has played from start to near the finish in each of the past two games. If he can continue to throw well downfield, he could make the Illini running game even more dangerous. Todd Boeckman has completed passes to more than a dozen different Buckeye receivers this season. Ohio State isn’t known for its offense but the team is still averaging 34.9 points a contest. Boeckman is ninth in the conference with 196.5 yards per game.

ADVANTAGE: OHIO STATE

RUNNING BACKS

Rashard Mendenhall is a force. The humble tailback had another stellar performance against the Gophers. With 16 more yards he will become the Illini’s single season rushing leader, and with one more touchdown he will tie the single season touchdown record. Chris Wells is fifth in the conference with 116.5 yards per game and averages six yards a carry.

ADVANTAGE: ILLINOIS

WIDE RECEIVER

Jeff Cumberland emerged as a wide receiver last week and showed his dangerous combination of size and speed. Jacob Willis found the end zone again and Marques Wilkins caught his first passes of the season against the Gophers. This should take some attention away from No. 9. Meanwhile, nine different Buckeyes have caught touchdown passes this season. Boeckman’s main target is Biletnikoff Award finalist Brian Robiskie. The junior has 44 catches on the year and has caught a pass in 22 straight regular season games.

ADVANTAGE: OHIO STATE

OFFENSIVE LINE

Center Ryan McDonald anchors the stellar line that has started the same five linemen in each of the first 10 games. The Illini are allowing one sack per game, which is tops in the conference and ninth in the nation. The Buckeyes are second to the Illini in sacks allowed with just 12 on the year. The team’s 199.9 rushing yards per game is third in the conference.

ADVANTAGE: ILLINOIS

DEFENSIVE LINE

The Illini front is having a tremendous season pressuring the quarterback. The defense has tallied 34 sacks and is six shy of tying the school record. The Buckeye defense earned 10 sacks last week against the Badgers. Junior Vernon Gholston tied a Buckeye game record with four sacks for negative 32 yards. The Buckeyes are giving up just 43 yards on the ground in Big Ten play. The Illini ground attack and Buckeye defensive line should be a thrill to watch in battle.

ADVANTAGE: OHIO STATE

LINEBACKERS

Much of the attention this week should be on the outstanding linebackers. The Illini’s J Leman is the team’s leading tackler and has led the Big Ten in tackles 15 of the past 16 weeks. The Buckeyes counter with James Laurinaitis. The junior linebacker tallied 19 tackles in last week’s victory against Wisconsin.

ADVANTAGE: DRAW

SECONDARY

Vontae Davis made a statement intercepting Adam Weber’s first pass from scrimmage last week. It was his fourth pick of the year and the team’s 11th. The Illini are still allowing 242.5 yards per game through the air but have the ability to stand strong when it counts. The Buckeye defense is tops in the conference in pass defense. Opponents are averaging 156.2 yards in the air per game and just 4.9 yards per completion.

ADVANTAGE: OHIO STATE

SPECIAL TEAMS

Jason Reda was perfect once again and earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors. The Illini special teams has played strong of late. DaJuan Warren looks comfortable returning punts. The Buckeyes’ place-kicker is 28-year-old Ryan Pretorius. The South African native is, like Reda, a Lou Groza Award candidate but is having trouble getting blocked. Buckeye punter A.J. Trapasso is third in the conference with a 41.8 yard average.

ADVANTAGE: DRAW

COACHES

Ron Zook is having all sorts of success in his third season as Illini head coach. Illinois will play in its first bowl game since the 2001 season. On the other sideline is the sweater-vest king of college football, Jim Tressel. He led the Buckeyes to the BCS National Championship Game a year ago and captured the 2002 National Championship with a 2003 Fiesta Bowl victory.

ADVANTAGE: OHIO STATE