In order to keep its focus on Illinois and avoid looking ahead to a Nov. 8 showdown at No. 8 Michigan State, Ohio State is reverting back to one of the oldest sports cliches in the book.
"Take one game at a time," safety Vonn Bell said Monday. "Take one game at a time and like Coach said, you can't overlook nobody in this league because anybody can sneak up on you and you'll get the best shot from anybody."
That's easier said than done, though.
Remember, in college football, you deal with 18 to 22-year-olds. It's only natural for them to hear whispers from their friends, the media, their professors on what lies ahead. And what lies ahead is a matchup with the team that defeated the Buckeyes for the Big Ten title last year and stopped any hopes of a national championship.
That's why it's extremely important for Ohio State — if it wants to remain in the conversation for a berth in the College Football Playoff this season — to not only beat Illinois, but beat it soundly. That becomes a greater challenge if the Buckeyes are worried about their matchup with the Spartans the following week.
It's a classic example of a "trap game."
"I think that's our job as coaches and the leaders of the team," Meyer said Tuesday on the Big Ten coaches teleconference. "I don't know that this is an entitled group that thinks they have answers because the way we played Saturday (against Penn State), there's tremendous room for growth."
On paper, it doesn't seem like Illinois will present the 16th-ranked Buckeyes with much of a challenge.
The Fighting Illini come in just 4-4 overall and 1-3 in the Big Ten, but they did snap a three-game losing streak with a 28-24 upset of Minnesota last weekend.
Illinois ranks dead last in the Big Ten in total defense, allowing 475.4 yards per game. It is also 13th in scoring defense, surrendering around 35 points per game.
But despite all of the significant advantages, Ohio State still says it's taking on a 'one game at a time' mentality.
“You take every game seriously because when you don’t — when you think you can just go in there and just slap somebody, that’s when you get in a fight," safety Tyvis Powell said. "So you can’t look past no teams. I’ve never looked past Illinois.”
Every team has these so called "trap games" on their schedule.
Last year, the Buckeyes had one when they traveled to Ann Arbor to take on an at-the-time 7-4 Michigan team.
And while that was obviously a known rivalry game, Ohio State knew what was waiting for it next week — Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game.
The result against the Wolverines was a 42-41 win that ended with Powell making an interception on a Michigan two-point conversion attempt to win the game.
It wasn't the sole reason the game was close —there is truth to the rivalry aspect of it where you can throw records out the window — but the "trap game" element was certainly there.
With the Illini coming to town Saturday, it presents Ohio State with that challenge of not looking forward to the following week where it's the Spartans awaiting again.
“Our focus is on getting better," Meyer said. "I know there’s a big one coming up and our players, of course they know that’s coming, but this is a big one as well. That one will lose a little luster if we don’t take care of business Saturday.”
