Did Ohio State burst Indiana’s bubble? What Buckeyes’ dominant win means in Playoff chase

By Cameron Teague Robinson, Justin Williams and Scott Dochterman

No. 2 Ohio State handed No. 5 Indiana its first loss, 38-15, bringing extra readability to the Huge Ten championship image whereas elevating questions in regards to the Hoosiers’ place within the Faculty Soccer Playoff race.

In its first top-five matchup for the reason that 1968 Rose Bowl and arguably the most important regular-season sport in program historical past, Indiana scored a landing on its first possession and was even with the Buckeyes till late within the second quarter. However two particular groups performs — a fumbled punt snap and a punt return landing — shifted the sport to Ohio State, which dominated the Indiana offense for the ultimate three quarters till the Hoosiers added a late landing.

Ohio State operating again TreVeyon Henderson broke off a 39-yard run after Indiana’s remaining rating however deliberately slid in need of the tip zone to take time without work the clock, although quarterback Will Howard punched in a landing two performs later to make the ultimate margin 23 factors.

“Nicely, in life all good issues come to an finish finally,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti stated. “I give Ohio State a whole lot of credit score. They dominated the soccer sport.”

CALEB DOWNS TO THE HOUSE 🏠🌰@OhioStateFB begins the second half with a bang ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/XT4Wrax5CI

— FOX Faculty Soccer (@CFBONFOX) November 23, 2024

Indiana has gained 10 video games for the primary time in program historical past, with its first 9 wins by double digits, however it additionally doesn’t have a win in opposition to a ranked opponent. It entered Saturday with a 79 p.c likelihood to make the Playoff, in line with The Athletic’s projections mannequin, and can end the common season in opposition to Purdue, which has only one win. The Hoosiers’ odds fell to 58 p.c to make the sphere and simply 2 p.c to host a first-round sport as of Saturday afternoon.

Ohio State, which performs rival Michigan subsequent week, is considered as a digital lock for the Playoff due to its wins over the Hoosiers and Nittany Lions.

The Buckeyes (10-1, 7-1 Huge Ten) are actually 2-1 in opposition to top-five groups this 12 months, dropping to Oregon by some extent however beating Penn State. Indiana (10-1, 7-1) has just one top-five win in program historical past, in opposition to Purdue in 1967. The Hoosiers haven’t gained in opposition to the Buckeyes since 1988.

Ohio State closing in on Huge Ten title sport

For the twelfth consecutive 12 months, Ohio State enters its remaining regular-season sport with an opportunity to clinch a berth within the Huge Ten championship sport, this time reverse top-ranked Oregon.

With the win in opposition to Indiana, all of the Buckeyes have to do is beat rival Michigan for the primary time since 2019 to earn their first journey to Indianapolis since 2020. Ohio State had the identical state of affairs intact in every of the previous three seasons, solely to fall brief in opposition to the Wolverines, who earned the berth themselves in these video games. This time, the Buckeyes will likely be closely favored.

Of the earlier 11 instances Ohio State might clinch, 9 had been outright alternatives, whereas the Buckeyes would have wanted assist twice (2016, 2015). They had been profitable six instances. Ohio State couldn’t advance to the Huge Ten title sport in 2012 as a result of it was ineligible for the postseason.

Indiana is an extended shot now, needing each Ohio State and No. 4 Penn State, which escaped with a one-point win at Minnesota on Saturday, to lose yet another sport. The Hoosiers lose the head-to-head tiebreaker with Ohio State and Penn State has a greater strength-of-victory element. — Dochterman

What does the loss imply for Indiana’s Playoff hopes?

The outcome was the worst-case state of affairs for Indiana: getting dealt with in its first and solely actual check in opposition to a high quality opponent this season.

The Hoosiers didn’t must win in Columbus to fend off the Playoff skeptics, however a extra aggressive exhibiting and remaining rating would have actually helped their trigger. Now Indiana should hope for losses elsewhere — from the likes of Texas, Penn State and the group of two-loss SEC groups — and level to a dominant begin in opposition to a dodgy schedule, all whereas battling the horde of followers and speaking heads poking holes in its resume.

Assistance is already coming, not less than, as Florida upset No. 9 Ole Miss on Saturday to probably knock the three-loss Rebels out of the Playoff chase and provides the Hoosiers some respiration room.

Saturday’s loss doesn’t occur in a vacuum. The Hoosiers are nonetheless a 10-1 group that handed the attention check coming into this weekend, and stumbles elsewhere within the CFP race will preserve them within the combine. However Indiana ceded the higher hand in its Playoff argument, particularly in attempting to host a first-round sport, and with lowly Purdue ready subsequent week, it gained’t have one other likelihood to earn it again except it will get a whole lot of assist and sneaks into the Huge Ten title sport. — Williams

Ohio State protection exhibiting how a lot it’s grown

Saturday felt like a press release efficiency from Ohio State and its protection beneath coordinator Jim Knowles.

Indiana got here into Saturday with the Huge Ten’s high scoring offense, and it began sizzling, too, with a landing drive aided by two cross interference calls in opposition to nook Davison Igbinosun. However for many of the remainder of the afternoon, it couldn’t block Ohio State’s blitzes, get anyone open downfield or maintain a dashing assault. Indiana totaled 145 yards on its first and final drives and 6 yards the remainder of the sport.

That is the efficiency Ohio State has been constructing as much as for the reason that loss to Oregon.

After a bye week, there was an apparent change in tendencies by the protection. It began blitzing extra, shifting its line of defense round and altering its coverages to maintain groups off-balance. All of the experimentation in opposition to groups like Northwestern and Purdue paid off on Saturday, as Ohio State had Kurtis Rourke uncomfortable all sport. He accomplished simply 8 of 18 passes for 68 yards with one fumble, simply his worst efficiency of the season.

An Ohio State protection that acquired beat deep in opposition to Oregon typically gave up only one cross over 15 yards. That’s particularly spectacular contemplating Indiana got here in ranked ninth nationally in explosive play fee, per TruMedia. The protection on the again finish was good, however Ohio State additionally benefited from strain that it didn’t generate in opposition to Oregon. Ohio State sacked Rourke 5 instances and rattled him to the purpose the place he regarded uncomfortable even when there wasn’t strain.

Sacks: 5
TFL: 8

No. 2 @OhioStateFB‘s protection confirmed up in an enormous approach vs. No. 5 Indiana 🔥#B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/Unjt5PhqEp

— Huge Ten Community (@BigTenNetwork) November 23, 2024

Ohio State nonetheless has room to develop on protection, however if you happen to take something away from Saturday’s efficiency, it must be that this protection is certainly a lot completely different and improved from the one which misplaced 32-31 at Oregon on Oct. 12.

Michigan is subsequent week, however every part is main as much as a rematch with Oregon within the Huge Ten title sport. That’ll be the true measuring stick of defensive development, although it shouldn’t take away from one other dominant efficiency by the protection Saturday after the Buckeyes additionally held Penn State with out an offensive landing. — Teague Robinson

Hoosiers not adequate to beat particular groups miscues

Indiana began the afternoon by forcing a three-and-out on protection after which ripping off an 11-play, 70-yard landing drive to take an early 7-0 lead. The Hoosiers gained simply 81 yards the remainder of the sport.

A stymied offense was knee-capped by a pair of dreadful performs on particular groups. The primary was a muffed punt snap that squirted by way of the palms of punter James Evans late within the second quarter, handing Ohio State the ball on the Indiana 7-yard line and a gift-wrapped landing proper earlier than the half. Then after a three-and-out to open the third quarter, Indiana gave up the punt return rating to Downs for a 21-7 deficit. It proved insurmountable for an offense that hardly crossed midfield the remainder of the way in which.

“They gained. They deserved to win,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti stated. “They’re a terrific soccer group, and paired with the noise it made it a really difficult day for us. I give them nothing however credit score.”

The Hoosiers entered the sport averaging 453.2 yards per sport and 6.9 yards per play, the latter adequate for a top-10 rating within the FBS. Ohio State held them to 151 yards and a pair of.6 yards per play — and properly beneath the 43.9 points-per-game common they got here to Columbus boasting. This comes after Indiana managed simply 18 second-half yards in a detailed win in opposition to Michigan.

Pretty much as good because the offense has been this season, Indiana wanted some lucky bounces in opposition to a extra proficient Ohio State roster. As an alternative, the Hoosiers had been sunk by self-inflicted errors and a dominant Buckeyes protection. — Williams

Ohio State will get a long-awaited return TD

Ohio State coach Ryan Day stated all offseason his group was going to return a punt for a landing this season.

Nicely, it occurred when Downs, the Alabama switch security, took a punt 79 yards for a rating. It was the primary punt return landing for the Buckeyes since Jalin Marshall took one 54 yards for a rating in 2014, additionally in opposition to Indiana.

That wasn’t the one main particular groups play of the sport, as Ohio State picked up a fumbled punt snap to arrange a landing.

Particular groups has been some extent of emphasis this season after Day parted methods with former coordinator Parker Fleming. Whereas there’s nonetheless some concern about kicker Jayden Fielding’s leg — particularly the place his max distance is and whether or not he could make a clutch kick in a Playoff sport — total the particular groups models have been stronger this season. — Teague Robinson

Howard continues his stellar season

Howard has been every part Ohio State has wanted this season. The fifth-year Kansas State switch has been the emotional and vocal chief that Ohio State missed final season, and he’s additionally been one of the vital environment friendly quarterbacks within the nation.

He got here into Saturday’s sport ranked third within the FBS in completion proportion, and that quantity is barely going to rise after this efficiency.

Howard accomplished 22-of-26 passes for 201 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He additionally ran in a landing within the fourth quarter. He accomplished 85 p.c of his passes, the sixth time this season he’s eclipsed the 80 p.c mark and fourth time he’s finished it with 20 or extra makes an attempt.

Will Howard ➡️ Emeka Egbuka

No. 2 @OhioStateFB ranges up No. 5 Indiana.#B1GFootball on @CFBONFOX 📺 pic.twitter.com/0jijHSuu3o

— Huge Ten Community (@BigTenNetwork) November 23, 2024

If anybody believed that Howard solely advantages from in-rhythm and systematic throws, then Howard dispelled these rumors within the first half.  With Ohio State dealing with a third-and-35 on the Indiana 40-yard line, Howard scrambled to purchase his receivers extra time to get open downfield and located Carnell Tate, who was operating to seek out open house for Howard to get him the ball. He made a great throw for 25 yards. Then, dealing with fourth-and-10, he discovered Tate open once more.

“You simply form of must make a play,” Howard stated. “I believe that basically set the tone for the sport and stated we’re right here to play. I don’t actually have any solutions for the way that occurred, it’s simply gamers making performs and guys getting open for me down the sphere.”

Howard has now accomplished at least 60 p.c of his passes in each Huge Ten sport this season and greater than 80 p.c in two of the top-five video games. He’s gone from being a query mark at quarterback to being a participant who is usually a difference-maker along with his arm and his legs.

(Picture of Carnell Tate: Jason Mowry / Getty Photos)