COLUMBUS, Ohio — This season wasn’t supposed to turn out like this for the Illinois football team.

It would have been as hard to predict this six-game losing streak as last season, though the six-game losing streak at the end of last season was unheard of, as no team had ever started out 6-0 and then went on to lose its next six before the 2011 Illinois football team.

A coaching change was made and in came Tim Beckman from Toledo and his new era of “steaks and cakes” for victories, Thursday lasagna dinners and supposed energy and hope for Illinois.

As the Ilini (2-7, 0-5 Big Ten) jogged off the field Saturday, most players had their heads bowed after being handily defeated by the Buckeyes (10-6, 6-0) 52-22 and the sound of Ohio State’s players and fans singing its fight song in the background holding high the Illibuck trophy Illinois hasn’t won in five years. It capped a second consecutive season with a six-game losing streak, the first time the Illini have lost six in a row since the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

With that, Illinois has eliminated itself from postseason play. Its dreams of a third consecutive bowl victory are done. Its hopes of playing in the Big Ten Championship game, finished. The start of its new era, a disaster.

As Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase put it, the Illini now just have the “love of the game” left to play for.

“We’re not going to be able to reach that and then you have to reevaluate and you have to really look at what you can do,” Scheelhaase said.

In many ways this season’s losing streak is as surprising as last season’s. Illinois boasted a top-10 defense in 2011 that was supposed to carry the team this season. However, the Illini have lost by at least two touchdowns in all six of its losses, by scores of 28, 28, 17, 45, 14 and 30.

After the game, Beckman noted how he felt a little different the last time he was behind the mic after playing at Ohio Stadium. Last year, Beckman’s Toledo team gave Ohio State a challenge before falling 27-22. Illinois looked like it could do much of the same in this game, taking a 3-0 lead at the start of the game and only trailing 7-6 after the first quarter.

Then it all fell apart — largely because the Illini had no answer for the Buckeyes’ star quarterback Braxton Miller.

Illinois lost arguably its best player on defense in linebacker Jonathan Brown in the first quarter with a shoulder injury. That forced the Illini to use two freshmen linebackers, Mason Monheim and Mike Svetina, to try and contain the Heisman trophy candidate.

“We don’t really look at each other and say, ‘Hey, we’re freshman,’ we look at each other and say, ‘Let’s do this,’” Monheim said. “He’s a great player, but anybody can make a big play when they have the opportunity.”

Miller took advantage and led the Buckeyes to 31 unanswered points.

He escaped the pocket when needed with his strength and agility to elude Illini defenders and finished with 18 rushes for 73 yards and a touchdown. When Illinois tried to bring extra men up to the line of scrimmage for Miller, he made them pay with his arm. He finished 12-for-20 passing with 226 yards and two touchdowns.

In contrast was Illinois’ dual-threat quarterback Scheelhaase. While Miller was able to run free from defenders Scheelhaase was largely contained from creating big plays with his legs, 15 rushes for 59 yards with his longest run at 7 yards. He had seven more completions (19) than Miller and threw for 130 fewer yards with 96 total passing yards on the day.

Illinois has continued to struggle on offense, averaging 4.4 yards per play, the third worst in the NCAA. Beckman called the Illini offense too sporadic,  they were out gained by Ohio State in total offense 567-170.

“We’ve got to be more consistent on offense,” Beckman said. “And have to be able to drive the football and be able to put seven points on the scoreboard in the red zone, and that’s what I’m used to.”

After the game, the Illini were much more upbeat and optimistic then in previous games, trying to take some positives from the blowout. Now the goal is to finish the season strong, with hopes to build for next season. The toughest part of the Illini’s schedule is out the way as they shift to the final three games of the season.

Beckman said he was proud of his team’s mentality and that he hasn’t had to do much coaching up morale and keeping his players from losing faith.

“We’ve got to get better, that’s the most important thing,” he said. “I like to say: ‘The door’s locked in December in my house. I won’t be at home because my wife likes to go to bowl games.’”

But not this year.

Jamal can be reached at [email protected] and @JamalCollier.