Inside the vest: Breaking down Jim Tressel's challenge going into the Illinois game.
Breaking down Jim Tressel's challenge going into the Illinois game
Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes play their first road game of the season on Saturday at Illinois. During the Buckeyes' run of five straight Big Ten titles, they've had no more trouble on the road than they have at home, going 18-2 in both situations since 2005. Ohio State is 11-9 against Illinois since 1988, but the Buckeyes actually have a much better road record in that stretch, going 7-2 at Memorial Stadium and 4-7 in Ohio Stadium.
Still, coaches like to worry about road games. So knowing that the Buckeyes would open this season with four straight home games, OSU coach Jim Tressel took his players to Xenia, Ohio, for an overnight trip and two practices during preseason camp in August.
"That was to show us how road games were going to be tough," OSU defensive lineman John Simon said. "It was a good experience. I think it will help us. We were living in some little huts and stuff like that. Practices were tough. It was hot. We had locker rooms in some warehouses or something that weren't finished."
Sounds more demanding than hopping a flight to Champaign on Friday. Tressel made sure that if the Buckeyes don't play well today, they can't blame the location.