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Look Out, Bucks!

© Grimace Boyer

Last year saw Illinois take the Big Ten despite losing to Michigan. Ohio State, having one of its worst seasons in recent history, sealed the championship for the Illini by beating Michigan in the final game of the year. This year, however, Ohio State is thinking National Championship and Illinois is just trying to survive until next year. They meet this week.

Don't think that the Illini are going to reward Ohio State's deeds with an easy win, though. When anyone mentions the Buckeyes, they bring up the three seasons in the early-to-mid 90s when the Buckeyes rolled into the final game of the season thinking National Championship and got upset by mediocre Michigan teams. And this Ohio State team hears about it every single day. But folks in Columbus had better hope that their boys aren't thinking about it too much this weekend, because this Illinois team isn't done fighting just yet.

As rivalry weekend rapidly approaches, taking everyone's focus off of this weekend, Illinois - still the defending Big Ten Champs - rolls into this week with nothing to lose. Brandon Lloyd, easily their best player, isn't getting any Heisman talk. Their defense is sputtering. Their conference is evolving past them. The work "fluke" is being bandied about when people discuss their championship season last year. Their star quarterback from a year ago is floundering as the 3rd stringer on a young Atlanta Falcons team.

Just the opposite is Ohio State: after a poor season, the only shining moment of which was the defeat of hated rival Michigan, the Bucks seem to have a lock on the Rose Bowl, despite Iowa's perfect Big Ten record. They have a star freshman running back in Maurice Clarett, whose lack of durability doesn't much matter, because Lydell Ross - his backup - may be even better. They've got a wide receiver named Chris Gamble, who has turned into a star playmaker at cornerback. They've got a mobile quarterback with good accuracy. They've got a number one ranking in the BCS standings.

The stage is set.

I don't think that the Michigan Wolverines are going to beat Ohio State this year, but this Fighting Illini team just might. How? By running Lloyd underneath Chris Gamble the entire game. Don't try to run past him. Let him come up and make the tackles. Wear him down. When he's on offense, bump him every single play. Double him if you have to, so that if he gets past the guy in his face, the safety picks him up. Let your linebackers stay in to stop the run whenever possible. And remember, above all, that you are the defending Big Ten champions.

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