Two weeks removed from taking down Michigan to improve to 10-0 for the first time ever, Wolverine fans are undoubtedly rooting for No. 5 Indiana (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) as it visits No. 2 Ohio State (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) for a game that features massive conference title and College Football Playoff implications.
Both teams are among the nation’s best: Ohio State is tied with Army for the fewest points allowed per game (10.3) while Indiana ranks seventh (13.8). The Buckeyes rank second in total defense (250.8 yards per game), while Indiana ranks third (255.5). Both teams average over 37 points per game and are among the top 20 offenses nationwide in total yards per game, each averaging over 450.
Ohio State features star power at every position, led by quarterback Will Howard (2,606 total yards, 30 total touchdowns, five interceptions), running backs Quinshon Judkins (723 yards, eight TD) and TreVeon Henderson (662 yards, five TDs) as well as freshman phenom wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (865 yards, nine TD) and veteran pass-catcher Emeka Egbuka (612 yards, eight TDs).
Its top-flight defense features some of the nation’s top talent, such as edge rusher Jack Sawyer (seven quarterback pressures in 31-7 win at Northwestern on Nov. 16), safety Sonny Styles (63 tackles) and defensive back Denzel Burke (two INTs). These players are just a few of the standouts on a Buckeyes team that fell to No. 1 Oregon at Autzen Stadium by just one point on Oct. 12.
“A lot of great players, extremely well-coached,” Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said of Ohio State on Monday. “Their tradition speaks for itself. It’s a big game for us because it’s this game coming up.”
Although there are other potential outcomes, it is very likely that Saturday’s game between the Hoosiers and the Buckeyes will determine who faces the Ducks in Indianapolis with the Big Ten Championship on the line. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, who improved to 3-6 all-time against AP top-five teams after a one-score win at No. 4 Penn State on Nov. 2, is aware of the threat Indiana poses to his team’s national championship aspirations.
“I don’t think their players get enough credit,” Day said Tuesday. “The coaches have done a nice job, but the players are the ones who play. They have good players. It’s going to be a great challenge for us.”
While the Buckeyes have maintained their status as a perennial powerhouse with household names, Indiana has disrupted the college football world with the likes of quarterback Kurtis Rourke (91.4 Pro Football Focus grade tied with Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart for highest among Power Four quarterbacks), running backs Justice Ellison (686 yards, nine touchdowns) and Ty Son Lawton (508 yards, 9 touchdowns) as well as receivers Elijah Sarratt (685 yards, six touchdowns) and Omar Cooper Jr. (527 yards, five TDs) and kicker Nicolas Radicic (59-for-59 on extra points, 9-for-9 on field goals including two versus Michigan).
Indiana’s defense features game-wreckers such as edge rusher Mikail Kamara, (53 quarterback pressures leads Power Four players), linebacker Aiden Fisher (98 tackles), and defensive backs Amare Ferrell (four INTs) and D’Angelo Ponds (two INTs).
These players were not household names when the season began, but they have all played key roles in Indiana’s success thus far. Ellison and Price left Indiana’s 20-15 win over Michigan with injuries, but they are expected to play Saturday.
“We’ll be at full strength for the game,” Cignetti said. “I think the bye week came at a really good time to get refreshed and recharged.”
Indiana is searching for its first win over Ohio State since 1988, and this weekend’s tilt represents one of the most pivotal games in Indiana history. The Buckeyes have beaten one top-five team this season (Penn State) and played the other (Oregon) down to the wire, losing on a late field goal. Indiana has not played a ranked team this season. Thus, a win would silence all Indiana detractors and establish the Hoosiers as a legitimate CFP threat. It will be far from easy, but Cignetti is up for the challenge against Ohio State and 103,000 rowdy fans in one of the biggest environments college football has to offer.
“I’ve been to a lot of those [big road environments],” Cignetti said. “We’ve got a group of guys and coaches that have won 24 of their last 25 games, so we don’t have a confidence problem. Whoever plays the best wins.”
The heated debate about whether Indiana belongs among college football’s elite will be settled when the Hoosiers take on the Buckeyes at noon on Saturday in Columbus. The game will be broadcast on FOX, the IU Sports Radio Network and WIUX Sports.
