toledoblade.com --

COLUMBUS - With one game remaining before another season-ending Big Ten championship tilt with rival Michigan, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is not overly concerned about keeping his team's attention on the immediate business at hand.

Michigan will still be there in 10 days, but for now, Illinois has to be the Buckeyes' state of mind.

The Illini are loaded with offensive weapons, and with just two losses are the team in the Big Ten closest to the Big Two in the standings. Tressel said the top-ranked Buckeyes are preoccupied with Illinois, but only in a preparatory mode. The next three days will determine their readiness factor at kickoff on Saturday afternoon in Ohio Stadium.

"I think this group really understands that we've got work to do," Tressel said. "I hope they're not in practice today thinking about Saturday. I want them to be thinking about what we have to do on Saturday, but Tuesday's different than Saturday and they've been good at being very attentive and staying on task."

Illinois (7-3, 4-2) gave Ohio State (10-0, 6-0) a major Big Ten scare last year, when the Buckeyes went through the regular season unbeaten and ranked No. 1 in the country. Ohio State had to battle back to gain a 17-10 win in Champaign, and the Illini come to Columbus this year with the same top threats - quarterback Juice Williams and running back Rashard Mendenhall.

"The thing about a group that hits across the board like this one, it's like in the old days when you played an option team - you better have every single assignment right or it's over," Tressel said. "It's kind of that way when you face this group. You better have every gap taken care of."

Williams got the attention of the Big Ten with his running and improvisational ability last season as a freshman when he rushed for an Illinois quarterback record 576 yards. With nine more yards on Saturday, he will break that mark.

Mendenhall has 1,314 yards rushing this season and is just 17 shy of the Illinois season record. He has six 100-yard games this year, tying a record set by Jim Grabowski in the 1965 season. Through just 10 games, the Illini have broken the school mark for rushing yards in a season with 2,613 and counting.

"Their offense is the real deal," Ohio State sophomore linebacker Austin Spitler said. "They are explosive and their big play makers are rolling on all cylinders. The team has come a long way, and it is going to be a great game."

Spitler and Ohio State have the nation's top defense in terms of the fewest points and yards allowed. The Buckeyes' defense against the run ranks third in the country, allowing just 65 yards per game. Illinois is sixth nationally in running the football, averaging 261.3 yards per game.

Tressel said the difference on Saturday will likely be which team comes closer to its standard in that almost 200-yard discrepancy between the two.

"You better make sure that everyone's doing what they need to do because anyone on their attack can beat you," Tressel said. "They have home run hitters everywhere. I guess it's like facing the [Cleveland] Indians, when you face [Travis] Hafner and those guys all right in a row. Any one of them can hit it out, so you better be assignment perfect."

The Illinois punch is enhanced by freshman speedster Arrelious Benn, who has 46 receptions and 29 rushes this season. Benn also had a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Penn State.

"Offensively, we've seen bits and pieces of their scheme, but not every down like they play, with the pressure they put on you with their quarterback's ability to run and the speed they have on the field," Tressel said.

"They have excellent speed, and they have all the makings of an outstanding team. That's why they've been so successful this fall, and we know it's going to be a tremendous challenge when they come in."

Contact Matt Markey at:
mmarkey@theblade.com
or 419-724-6510.

Permanent Link

RECENT RELATED ARTICLES

• Playoffs full of familiar faces | 01/09/2010

• Big plays power Maumee attack | 09/18/2009

• Rodriguez fine tunes UM | 08/11/2009

• Coaches travel to Mideast; Tressel recounts experiences visiting U.S. military | 08/09/2009

• University of Toledo has triple threat at running back | 08/09/2009

• QBs take advantage of air time; MAC path to NFL for signal-callers | 08/09/2009

• Coaches travel to Mideast; Tressel recounts experiences visiting U.S. military | 08/09/2009

• Falcons excited for start of full-contact practices | 08/09/2009

• Winning consumes UT's Church | 08/09/2009