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After Sluggish Beginning, Ohio State's Real Season Starts Now

In many ways, Ohio State's 28-3 win over Illinois on Saturday served as the epitome of the third-ranked Buckeyes' first 10 games of the 2015 season.

Sure, there was J.T. Barrett's 24-yard touchdown pass to Michael Thomas in the first quarter, star defensive end Joey Bosa's usual dominance and running back Ezekiel Elliott closing out the game late. But by and large, highlights for Ohio State were few and far between on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

The same could be said about the first three months of the Buckeyes' national championship defense, which has seen Ohio State grind its way to a 10-0 record against a bevy of uninspiring challengers.