Playing tOSU in Chicago sounds like a great recipe for an unfriendly crowd and a beatdown.
Not sure I agree ... the issue for us with the United Center lately was that we were mostly playing opponents that weren't going to inspire huge crowds. We are not THAT far removed from very good crowds at the UC, guys. I think it would be very stupid to just completely get rid of our presence there, and we were having trouble getting a good non-conference matchup. So, of the Big Ten foes, who is best? Let's go down the list of the other options:
Indiana - Too close to Chicago, don't want to give them the attention
Iowa - Too close to Chicago, don't want to give them the attention
Michigan - Would have been a decent pick, as well
MSU - Would have been a decent pick, as well
Minnesota - Would not have drawn the same UI crowd and would have brought fewer fans than OSU will
Nebraska - Would not have drawn the same UI crowd and would have brought fewer fans than OSU will
Northwestern - WAY too close to Chicago, and DEFINITELY don't want to give them the attention AND they would have brought fewer fans than OSU will
Penn State - Would not have drawn the same UI crowd and would have brought fewer fans than OSU will
Purdue - Too close to Chicago, don't want to give them the attention
Rutgers - Would not have drawn the same UI crowd and would have brought fewer fans than OSU will
Wisconsin - Too close to Chicago, don't want to give them the attention
IMO, our decent choices were pretty much Michigan, MSU or OSU, and OSU is the farthest from Chicago/is the least likely to outdraw us at our own home game. The United Center game should achieve three things in a perfect world:
1) Broadcast Illinois as a sort of "home team" for Chicagoland ... to do this, you need a good opponent that will inspire Illini fans to show up, as an empty arena does the opposite. You also need to not invite a team who has its own claim to Chicagoland (e.g., Northwestern), and you also can't broadcast it as a Braggin' Rights type setup where you effectively admit the other team is also a Chicagoland team like MU does for us in St. Louis (e.g., Notre Dame with a split crowd).
2) Put on a show for recruits ... to do this, you need a good opponent to draw interest. It would also be VERY, VERY nice to actually win, LOL.
3) (Re-)engage our Chicago area fans with Illini athletics. To do this, you need a good opponent that will make them want to show up, and you can't lose every year, or no one will come back.
The common theme is you want a good team that is beatable and won't outbuy Illini fans when it comes to tickets.
Finding a "perfect" opponent is hard. You can go for a win above all else vs. a Rutgers type, but nobody will show up. You can try to go for the highest attendance/most hype possible and get MSU, but you're likely going to get killed. Ohio State might be the best combination of a team that will inspire a good crowd but also one that we could beat if we are shooting lights out that night or something.