It's obvious that the Illinois football team didn't start the season off as it would have liked. The Illini were trounced in their season opener against Missouri in their only real test before Saturday's Big Ten opener against Ohio State.

It's obvious that the Illinois football team didn't start the season off as it would have liked.

The Illini were trounced in their season opener against Missouri in their only real test before Saturday's Big Ten opener against Ohio State.

The Illini's weaknesses were exposed and their pride was hurt against the Tigers, but head coach Ron Zook knows he has to keep his team's goals in perspective.

"I'll be honest with you, I never thought we were going to go 12-0," Zook said. "That's a game that you learn from. I think it put a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths, but as I told the staff this morning, I feel the same way about this football team as I did five weeks ago."

But to keep the their goals within reach, the Illini need to find success in a tough stretch, as they start the Big Ten schedule with games against No. 13 Ohio State, No. 5 Penn State and Michigan State.

Zook doesn't want his team to look past the Buckeyes, and defensive end Clay Nurse isn't.

"It's Ohio State. If you say 'Ohio State' anywhere in the world, people are going to know what you're talking about," Nurse said.

"It is like Florida. You say 'Florida' anywhere in the world, and people are going to know what you're talking about."

After losing its star running back, Chris "Beanie" Wells, all three of its starting linebackers, including All-American James Laurinaitis, and one of the top cornerbacks in the nation in Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State is still a favorite in the Big Ten.

Ohio reloaded at running back with sophomore Dan "Boom" Herron, while the secondary continues to be one of the most experienced in the conference.

But Illini center Eric Block is especially impressed by the Buckeyes' ability to remain strong at the linebacker position.

"They've got great speed, they're aggressive, you'd swear they've been starting for two or three years," Block said.

"They've got a ton of talent at Ohio State. They just plug in a player, and he's going to play."

Terrelle Pryor has been heralded as one of the most athletic quarterbacks in the country, and an Illini defense that has had a noted trouble tackling will be put to the test with the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year.

"Guys wrap him up completely and somehow he gets out of it," Nurse said. "I don't know how he did it. We were slowing down the film to try to figure it out, but it's just like any week, we just have to be very sound with it."

Zook had a hard time simulating Pryor in preparation for this week's game.

"(You'd) probably take an offensive lineman if you really wanted to (simulate getting) the guy to the ground. Then you'd try to put him in Justin Green's body, speed-wise," Zook said.

"You're not going to go stop him ... We have to contain the best that we can and give up as few big plays as we can."

The Illini will have to face one of the nation's top teams on Saturday in one of the biggest stadiums in a game that could swing their season.

But in the end, Block knows it all just comes down to football.

"To be honest, when you get in there and start playing, all that other stuff fades into the background," he said. "It's nothing but you versus the man across from you. All that outside distraction has got to fade away."