Ryan Day and the No. 1-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes are heading to Illinois for their Week 7 matchup against Bret Bielema’s Illinois Fighting Illini in a marquee showdown on Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. This is also the first time Ryan Day is making the trip to Champaign as Ohio State’s head coach. The Buckeyes are coming off a dominant 42-3 victory over Minnesota last week, looking to extend their perfect record. Illinois hasn’t beaten Ohio State since 2007, with the Buckeyes currently holding a nine-game winning streak over the Illini. And ahead of the game, there’s a positive development concerning a key defensive player.

On October 10th, Ryan Day and the Buckeyes touched down in Champaign a day before the game. As soon as Ryan Day stepped off the bus, reporters rushed to ask about their preparation for the ranked matchup. One reporter asked, “How have you guys handled your final preparations?” Ryan Day prioritized rest and routine, saying, “Like we normally do; had a good walkthrough today, good meetings. So looking forward to getting here tonight, have our dinner, have our meetings, wake up in the morning and go after it.” The head coach also gave an update on Ohio State defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr.

Kenyatta will be able to play this weekend. Ryan Day confirmed that Jackson traveled with the team. “Kenyatta’s here, so he’ll be available and ready to roll,” Ryan Day said. This is good news for the Buckeyes because Jackson’s status was uncertain after he got hurt in the previous game against Minnesota.

Jackson had to leave the Minnesota game with an upper-body injury after making a hard hit on Drake Lindsey (QB). He did not return for the rest of that game, which caused some concern about whether he would be healthy enough to play again this week. His quick recovery means Ohio State’s defense will have one of its key players back.

Jackson is an important part of the Ohio State defensive line. He usually starts at defensive end along with Caden Curry and has already made six tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, and a pass breakup this season. It’s still not clear how much he will play against Illinois—he might start, rotate in for limited snaps, or only play if needed, but having him available gives the Buckeyes’ front line some boost.

Ryan Day is not underestimating Illinois

This game is special for several reasons. Since their last meeting, Illinois has improved so much. Last year, Bret Bielema took the Fighting Illini to their first 10-win season since 2001. This is the best Illinois team we’ve seen in a very long time. Another major storyline is that this marks Ohio State’s first road game against a ranked opponent this season.

Ryan Day acknowledged that challenge and gave credit to Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer and head coach Bret Bielema. “Yeah, great atmosphere. But that’s what we expected. You know, early in the year, we knew this was going to be a great game against a great team. Veteran quarterback playing great, doing a great job. So we felt this was going to be a challenge for us on the road. Had a good week of prep and a good night tonight, wake up and get after it. It’s great.” Saturday promises a sold-out stadium, an “Orange Out” from the home crowd, and the return of the Illibuck rivalry trophy after an eight-year break.

The Fighting Illini are not intimidated by the Buckeyes’ reputation. After an early-season stumble against Indiana, Illinois has rattled off back-to-back wins. Their offense has been rolling, averaging 38.5 points and over 500 yards in their last two games. Luke Altmyer has been on fire, throwing 12 touchdowns without a single interception. His go-to weapon, Hank Beatty, has been a sensation, the only player in the country this season with a passing, rushing, receiving, and punt return touchdown. However, Illinois’ defense has been somewhat vulnerable, giving up 24.0 points per game and allowing touchdowns on 13 of 18 red-zone trips. The Buckeyes enter the contest as 14.5-point favorites.