Ohio State football: What you need to know about Buckeyes’ game at Indiana

Where: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Ind.

TV/Radio: ABC/1410

Series history: Ohio State leads 77-12-5. The Buckeyes have not lost to Indiana since a 41-7 shellacking in 1988. That was the second of back-to-back losses to the Hoosiers, who also did not beat Ohio State from 1952-86.

Last game: Ohio State sprinted out to a big lead then had to hang on for a 42-35 win last season at Ohio Stadium. Justin Fields threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted three times. Michael Penix Jr. threw for five touchdown passes and nearly 500 yards for the Hoosiers, who had minus-1 yard rushing and gave up 307.

Coaches: Ohio State’s Ryan Day is 28-3 in three seasons, including 18–0 in the Big Ten. Tom Allen of Indiana is 26-26 with the Hoosiers and 0-4 against Ohio State.

Ohio State notes: The Buckeyes have won their last four games by an average of 54.5-14.2… The Buckeyes have won a Big Ten-record 10 straight road conference games by at least 10 points… The last time Ohio State lost coming off an open week in the schedule was at Penn State in 2005… The Buckeyes’ last road loss was in the state of Indiana after sunset — a 49-20 debacle at Purdue in 2018…The Buckeyes rank nationally No. 1 in total offense (562.7), No. 2 in scoring (48.5), No. 8 in passing (352.2) and No. 22 in rushing (211.0)… Ohio State has four players from Indiana: LB Craig Young (Fort Wayne) and OL Zen MIchalski (Floyd’s Knob), Josh Fryar (Beech Grove) and Dawand Jones (Indianapolis).

Indiana notes: The Hoosiers have already played four ranked teams this season, including three in the top 10…They are 107th nationally in scoring and total yardage while rankings 37th in total defense and 76th in scoring defense… All-Big Ten linebacker Micah McFaddan leads Indiana = in tackles (36), tackles for loss (9.0) and sacks (3.5). He also has two pass breakups, four quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery… Indiana has five Ohioans on its roster: TE AJ Barner (Aurora), OL Zach Carpenter (Cincinnati), TE Sam Daugstrup (Cleveland), OL Luke Lane (Lebanon), and LS Sean Wracher (Akron).

Quoted: Allen on trying to salvage the season starting this week: “To me you got to do everything you can do to be able to maximize this opportunity in front of us against Ohio State. Whatever we got to do to be able to help us score points, how many quarterbacks we use, how we use them, how we scheme things, design things, has to be with that objective in mind.

“There’s no question we understand the big picture, but the bottom line is it’s total, absolute, 100% focus on what we got ahead of us. This is the biggest game of the season because it’s the next one. Just happens to be against Ohio State.

“Obviously we know who they are, what they have done in the past. But we’re playing the Ohio State team that’s on this field in 2021. That’s the group we’re attacking, that’s the film we’re studying. It’s a great opportunity, great challenge, one I expect our team to be fully prepared for.”

Next game: The Buckeyes return home to play host to Penn State next Saturday night. The Hoosiers play at Maryland.

Prediction: Ohio State 45, Indiana 9