Ryan Day held his typical Tuesday presser yesterday, to recap Illinois and preview Wisconsin, and while Joe McGuire's inadequate punting got some air time, Ohio State's lack of a dominant rushing attack took center stage.
The Buckeyes rank 63rd nationally in rushing yards per game at 160.7 and their 4.73 yards per carry slot a bit higher at 45th - stats that weren't helped by back-to-back weeks of barely cracking the century mark on ground.
Versus the Illini, OSU did face a lot of red zone / goal line scenarios where it's a bit tougher to ground and pound - and the Buckeyes didn't have Bo Jackson for the balance of the second half - but the reality is, anyone forming an opinion over the first six games of the 2025 slate has far more confidence in the team's ability to throw the ball than line up and run it down an opponent's throat.