CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Ohio State had 14 players from its national championship team selected in the NFL draft, which tied the team record and raised legitimate questions about who would fill the holes.
Rebuilding years don't happen at Ohio State, but the Buckeyes projected as a team that might evolve over time. Halfway through the regular season, the Buckeyes' growth spurt has already come, and the team looks fully capable of defending its title. Top-ranked Ohio State improved to 6-0 Saturday with a mostly stress-free 34-16 win at No. 17 Illinois, bolstered by a largely new-look defense that continues to flex despite allowing a season-high points total.
"The guys who we didn't know about going into the season, they've now proven that they belong," coach Ryan Day said. "They're competitive, they're edgy, they like these types of environments, and they want to be great, they expect to be great, expect to win all the time.
"As much as I was on them about growing up and maturing, you are seeing a pretty mature group."
Ohio State still features stars from the championship team, like safety Caleb Downs, linebacker Sonny Styles and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who had five receptions and a touchdown Saturday. But Saturday's win was fueled largely by new contributors, including cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. and defensive lineman Kayden McDonald, who forced three takeaways that turned into 21 Buckeyes points. Other emerging defensive stars like linebacker Arvell Reese and end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. combined for two sacks and three tackles for loss.
McDonald, a reserve his first two seasons, ripped the ball away from Illinois' Ca'Lil Valentine late in the first half, setting up an Ohio State touchdown pass from two new contributors, quarterback Julian Sayin and running back Bo Jackson.
"We've shown that we can play," McDonald said. "It doesn't matter if people go to the NFL or older guys, we've got to step up. That's what we did."
Mathews deflected a Luke Altmyer pass on Illinois' first possession, setting up an easy interception for linebacker Payton Pierce, another new starter. Altmyer came in not having thrown an interception in 148 pass attempts, and Ohio State's defense, while utterly dominant through five games with only 25 total points allowed, had only two interceptions.
"I knew he was going to throw one on us," said Mathews, who also forced an Altmyer fumble on a blitz. "This defense is crazy, ain't it?"
Ohio State's defense had not allowed more than nine points in a game before Saturday, and Day said the team "took our foot off the pedal a little bit" after building a 34-10 lead early in the fourth quarter.
"It's a good sign when you have to go into a locker room after a win like this and kind of make sure everybody understands what a great win it was, because I think we all felt like we left a little bit on the field," Day said.
Sayin, a first-year starter who came in completing 80.2% of his passes, wasn't quite as efficient Saturday, completing 19 of 27 attempts. But he avoided major mistakes, tossed two touchdown passes and led scoring drives on six of Ohio State's first eight possessions, including a 63-yard touchdown drive that ate up 7:52 after Illinois scored its first touchdown early in the second half.
"We've shown a lot of resiliency," Sayin said. "When some drives don't go your way, you've got to be able to bounce back and next drive, put it all behind you and move on."
The Buckeyes move on to the second half of the season, knowing bigger tests lie ahead, but also with more answers than questions at certain positions.
"Watch out, it's scary," Mathews said with a smile. "Lot of confidence."