COLUMBUS, OHIO - The combination of Carlos Hyde and Braxton Miller was more than enough for No. 6 Ohio State.
Hyde rushed for 137 yards and three touchdowns and Miller burnished his Heisman credentials by passing for two scores and running for another in the Buckeyes' 52-22 victory over Illinois on Saturday.
The Buckeyes (10-0, 6-0 Big Ten) maintained the upper hand in the Leaders Division. They play at Wisconsin on Nov. 17 and against Michigan at home a week later.
Miller carried 18 times for 73 yards and passed for 226 yards.
"Once we got our rhythm there was going to be no stopping us," Hyde said.
It was the sixth consecutive loss for the Illini (2-7, 0-5).
Little went right for the Illini and coach Tim Beckman, a former assistant to Ohio State's Urban Meyer when Meyer was the head coach at Bowling Green in 2001 and 2002.
After racing to quick touchdowns while outscoring the visitors 24-0 in the second quarter, the Buckeyes went up 38-6 in the third quarter by driving 73 yards on 11 plays, capped by Miller's 2-yard scramble.
