Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
TV/Radio: FOX/1410
Series history: Ohio State leads 76-12-5. The Hoosiers last downed the Buckeyes on Oct. 8, 1988, by a 41-7 score in Bloomington). Their 31-10 victory over No. 9 Ohio State the previous year is their most recent victory in Columbus.
Last game: J.K. Dobbins and Master Teague proved to be a one-two punch too powerful for Indiana to handle last season as Ohio State scored a 51-10 knockout victory at Memorial Stadium. The sixth-ranked Buckeyes rolled up 314 yards on the ground.
Coaches: Ohio State’s Ryan Day is 19-1, including 13–0 against Big Ten foes. Tom Allen is 22-20 at Indiana and 13-18 in the Big Ten.
Ohio State notes: Ohio State has won 17 consecutive games over Big Ten opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 (including conference championship games), the longest streak in poll history… Ohio State currently ranks 13th nationally in total offense (511.3 yards per game). The Buckeyes’ passing offense ranks 20th in yards per game (302.7) and No. 1 in completion percentage (.867)… Chris Olave ranks first in the Big Ten among active players with 19 career touchdown receptions… The Buckeyes have won 22 consecutive home games, which is the third-longest streak nationally. The program record for consecutive home wins is 25, set from 1972 through 1976… The last time Ohio State failed to reach 30 points against Indiana was in a 23-17 win in 1993.. The Buckeyes have five Indiana natives on the roster: LB Craig Young (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Pete Werner (Indianapolis), Josh Fryar (Beech Grove, Ind.), Dawand Jones (Indianapolis) and Drue Chrisman (Lawrenceburg, Ind.).
Indiana notes: The Hoosiers are 4-0 to start Big Ten play for the third time (1987, 4-0; 1967, 5-0)… IU is 12-5 overall and 9-4 in league play since the start of the 2019 campaign... The Hoosiers have won five of their last six B1G road contests, their best run since 1967-68 (6-of-7)… Indiana has won a program-record-tying five-straight B1G games (1967) and nine of its last 11... The Hoosiers have won three-straight Big Ten road games for the first time since 1982… Four Hoosiers are from the state of Ohio: AJ Barner (Aurora), Sam Daugstrup (Cleveland), Luke Lane (Lebanon) and Sean Wracher (Akron)… Michael Penix Jr. leads the conference in passing yards (1,070) and is second – behind OSU’s Justin Fields – in touchdown passes with nine… Penix’s top receiving target is Ty Fryfogle, who leads the league with 424 receiving yards and has four touchdown catches… The Hoosiers defense is fourth in the Big Ten in both total defense and scoring defense. The unit has a league-best 10 interceptions and is +8 in turnover margin, which is third-best nationally.
Quoted: Allen on Ohio State: “Excellent football team, arguably the best quarterback in the country in Justin Fields. Special player playing at a high level right now and surrounded by a receiver core that is good as anybody in the country, and excellent running backs, very physical offensive line and defensively they are just as usual, playing really, really hard. Defensive line is extremely dominant, very physical, athletic linebacker core that we have seen the last several years — lot of experience there. Continuing to play at a high level in their secondary anchored by Shaun Wade. Just elite players that are well coached and extremely talented. Their specialists are always good, their special teams play is always at a high level. There is a reason why they are where they are, defending Big Ten champions, but it is a great opportunity for our program.”
Next game: The Buckeyes are scheduled to at Illinois next Saturday. Indiana is scheduled to play host to Maryland.
Prediction: Ohio State 45, Indiana 20
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