COLUMBUS, Ohio — After a 10-minute or so power outage to start the game and playing under the watchful eye of a Mitt Romney political campaign blimp, Illinois trailed No. 5 Ohio State 7-6 at the end of the first quarter Saturday.

I overheard an Ohio State fan in the press box during the first quarter say, “We can’t blow 10-0 on Illinois.”

Odd occurrences such as the power outage and the competitive first quarter seem to always happen from time to time in strange upsets. Then again, this season Ohio State and Illinois are about as similar as the two presidential candidates running this year.

Braxton Miller and the Buckeyes must have somehow heard the booster in the press box as the Ohio State offense gained 422 yards and scored 45 points over the next three quarters, including 24 in the second quarter, to cruise to a 52-22 victory.

Miller’s dark horse Hesiman candidacy and exhilaratingly elusive manner in which he plays football still wasn’t entertaining enough for the home crowd. Just as the 100,000-plus Michigan fans did three weeks ago, the 105,311 in attendance didn’t hang around long after halftime.

Saturday’s defeat was a resounding statement for Illinois and Big Ten fans alike, as the Illini officially surpassed their points allowed total from last season, 298 after Saturday compared to last year’s 255, only nine games in and clinched bowl ineligibility. (It should be noted that the Illini allowed zero points on Sept. 15 to FCS opponent Charleston Southern, which hadn’t won a game in two years before this season — skewing the differential even more.)

We know the defense is bad, but numbers always put it in perspective.

The Buckeyes, on the other hand, reaffirmed Big Ten fans that they won’t see the conference’s most talented team compete past November.

Ohio State still has a road game at Wisconsin and a home date with rival Michigan on the schedule, but then again both of those teams lost to Nebraska, which Ohio State hung 63 points on and beat by three scores at home earlier in the season.

A 12-0 record and no postseason competition would be quite the predicament, especially for how bad the Big Ten is this season.

The way the Big Ten has competed both in nonconference and conference games this season, it’s going to be another tough bowl season for the “power” conference from the Midwest.

In a season full of doom and disappointment, some good news seemed to find the Illinois football team as senior offensive lineman Corey Lewis played in his first game since 2009.

Even though a sixth consecutive loss created yet another sullen atmosphere in the postgame media availability, Lewis strolled out of the locker room eager to discuss his long-awaited return after three knee surgeries and countless hours of rehab.

“It’s been two long years I’ve been waiting, and finally it’s come,” Lewis said. “My first play, my first couple plays, it just felt great to knock the rust off, you know, get out there, try to help this team win.”

Gaining only 170 offensive yards in a game is never going to be enough to win, but with all of the turbulence and blowout losses this season, Lewis’ comeback represents a moral victory for a locker room in need of some motivation to finish the season.

Regardless, a third consecutive bowl appearance is not in the cards for the Illini in head coach Tim Beckman’s first season, but a victory may be in sight as next Saturday’s game features the only two winless teams in the conference — Illinois and Purdue.

Dan is a senior in Media. You can reach him at [email protected] Follow him on Twitter @WELINandDEALIN.