With Michigan on the horizon, No. 5 Indiana presents the biggest threat this week to the second-ranked Buckeyes’ hopes of making the Big Ten Championship Game for a rematch against Oregon.
That is our focus today:
Indiana comes to Columbus looking like a genuine threat
New coach Curt Cignetti has the Hoosiers 10-0 for the first time, and it doesn’t look like a fluke.
He opened eyes with some brash talk at Big Ten Football Media Days (where I was first introduced to his style of speaking to the media) and has backed it up so far.
The Hoosiers walloped everyone they played before holding off Michigan in Bloomington two weeks ago, but of course no team has it easy every week.
Indiana leads the Big Ten in scoring and is third in points allowed with a balanced offense that leans toward the pass and a defense that attacks the line of scrimmage and tries not to get beaten deep if advanced statistics are to be believed.
They have the No. 1 rush defense in the country, a figure bolstered by leading the nation in sacks and tackles for loss.
Ohio State is also strong all around but has a new problem to deal with
Credit: Marcus Hartman
Credit: Marcus Hartman
That last number figures to be the one most on the mind of the Buckeyes this week because they have a huge question mark at offensive line.
Just when that unit appeared to be rounding into form without left tackle Josh Simmons, the group was thrown a potentially bigger curveball with center Seth McLaughlin’s season-ending ankle injury occurring this week in practice.
We did learn Wednesday night the plan will be for Carson Hinzman to move from left guard to center with Lakota East graduate Austin Siereveld taking over at left guard.
That means Joshua Padilla, a redshirt freshman from Wayne, will still be the No. 2 center.
Hinzman started all season at center last year as a redshirt freshman but was clearly the line’s weakest link — hence getting McLaughlin out of the transfer portal from Alabama.
With another year in the weight room, Hinzman has looked better at guard this season, but it remains to be seen how another reshuffling impacts what the Buckeyes can do as they begin a final stretch of the season that could be brutal (and fulfilling).
Nonetheless, Ohio State coach Ryan Day is calling for the fans to be loud at Ohio Stadium on Saturday.
The Cincinnati Bengals are off, but big football games abound in Southwest Ohio
The headliner is in Division I, where Centerville and Wayne are set to play the biggest game yet in the refurbished Welcome Stadium.
In Division III, Region 12 Friday night, Bellbrook is aiming for its first regional championship when the Golden Eagles play No. 4 seed London in Springfield.
While Bellbrook has won its last two games 24-21 on field goals in the fourth quarter, the Red Raiders have won every game by at least 12 points and most by much more.
In Division IV, Region 16, Alter has a rematch with a fifth-seeded Cincinnati Taft team that thumped the Knights 36-7 in Cincinnati in Week 3. This one will be at Monroe.
Grudge matches are also the name of the game to the north.
In Division VI, Region 24, No. 1 Coldwater plays No. 3 Anna in Sidney. That will be a rematch of a game the Cavaliers won 34-18 in Week 4.
In Division VII, Region 28, undefeated top seed Marion Local plays No. 2 Minster in Wapakoneta. The Wildcats lost 21-0 to the three-time defending state champion Flyers in Week 9, but that is the only game Marion Local won by less than 31 this season.
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