The #7-ranked Ohio State football team opened Big Ten play Saturday with a 42-19 win over Illinois at Ohio Stadium. Buckeye quarterback Julian Sayin threw for 367 yards and four touchdowns, all of which went to Jeremiah Smith. Here are our three takeaways from Saturday’s game:

1.    Smith once again demonstrated that he is a generational talent. The junior caught 12 passes for 217 yards Saturday. After becoming the Buckeyes’ leader in career receiving yards last week. this week he became the first Ohio State player to pass 3,000 yards in receptions. His 12 catches puts him 13 away from catching Emeka Egbuka for the career lead at OSU. His four touchdowns puts him only two behind all-time leader Chris Olave.

2.   Junior safety Jaylen McClain led Ohio State with eight tackles, followed by senior cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. and sophomore cornerback Devin Sanchez with seven tackles each. Sophomore linebacker Riley Pettijohn had two tackles for loss to pace the Buckeyes, with one of those being a sack. Fifth-year defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. also recorded a sack. All of the defensive players named above were OSU high school recruits.

3.   Fifth-year running back Ja’Kobi Jackson, who has become the short-yardage specialist for Ohio State, rushed for 53 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown. He also had the longest run from scrimmage Saturday for the Buckeyes on a 15-yard scamper. In OSU’s four games so far this season, Jackson is averaging 6.6 yards per carry with five touchdowns and a long run of 49 yards.