Overview

• Buckeye Talk hosts examined whether Illinois veteran Luke Altmyer would have been preferable to freshman Julian Sayin in isolated early-season spots, then unanimously stuck with Sayin.
• Sayin entered the Illinois game with elite efficiency, completing about 80.2% of his passes with 13 touchdowns as coaches steadily expanded the offense.
• Altmyer arrived with strong numbers of his own at 73.6% passing for 1,573 yards and 12 touchdowns with no interceptions and a QBR near the national top 10.
• Analysts argued that teams seeking to upset Ohio State should favor explosive, high-variance offense over time-of-possession tactics, though Illinois’ pass protection was flagged as a concern.
• Early in Champaign, linebacker Payton Pierce intercepted a tipped Altmyer pass for what broadcast and reports credited as Altmyer’s first interception of the season.