Indiana’s first Big Ten availability report for Week 7 came back looking relatively tidy, especially compared with Ohio State’s.
The Hoosiers have just two players listed: running back Khobie Martin and tight end Andrew Barker. Martin, sidelined since a first-quarter injury in Week 1, is now listed as doubtful - the first time he has shown up as anything other than out. Barker, who was hurt against Rutgers and missed last weekend, is questionable.
A pair of familiar Indiana names are missing entirely from the report. Receiver Lebron Bond and cornerback Carson Williams both showed up regularly over the past few weeks, but neither appears to be dealing with an availability issue heading into Saturday.
Ohio State, meanwhile, has a much longer list to sort through. Seven Buckeyes who have logged snaps this season are on the report, including a key piece up front.
Starting offensive tackle Austin Siereveld is listed as OUT. He is Ohio State’s highest-graded run blocker at PFF.
The Buckeyes are also missing rotational running back Ja’Kobi Jackson, who is OUT, while another back, Isaiah West, is questionable. Jackson and West have the second- and third-most running back snaps on the team. Backup offensive tackle Deontae Armstrong and receiver Brock Boyd - who has the fourth-most receiver snaps - are also questionable on offense.
On defense, backup safety Leroy Roker is OUT and rotational interior defensive lineman Khary Wilder is questionable.
No. 5/4 Indiana, 6-0, and No. 4/5 Ohio State, 5-1, meet at noon ET Saturday in Bloomington on FOX.
In Other News...
Ohio State Heads Into Indiana Showdown With A Problem Ryan Day Can't Hide
Ohio State heads into its matchup with Indiana carrying more uncertainty than a contender would like this late in the season. The Buckeyes are bracing for the possibility of being without key pieces such as offensive tackle Austin Siereveld and running back Ja'Kobi Jackson, a situation that puts extra pressure on a unit already tasked with keeping quarterback Julian Sayin upright against a capable Hoosiers front and a dangerous overall challenge.
Ryan Day said not every injured player is expected to be available, which only sharpens the focus on how Ohio State adjusts if the absences linger. For Indiana, that is the kind of opening a team wants in a big game, especially with Josh Hoover leading an offense that can make a defense work for every stop and force a shorthanded opponent to reveal just how deep it really is. [Read more 🡒]
Indianas Biggest Showdown Yet Comes With A New Availability Twist
The first Big Ten availability report for Indianas showdown with Ohio State offered an early look at the health picture heading into one of the Hoosiers biggest tests of the season. Indiana came through the initial report relatively clean, with no players listed out, while Khobie Martin was tagged doubtful and Andrew Barker landed in the questionable category.
Ohio State, meanwhile, showed a longer list of concerns, with six players ruled out and five more questionable. The names on that list include Austin Siereveld and Ja'Kobi Jackson, adding another layer of intrigue to a game that already had plenty riding on it for both teams. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Hoover Just Strengthened Indiana's Biggest Case Yet
Indianas unbeaten start keeps getting harder to dismiss, and Josh Hoover gave the Hoosiers another sturdy argument in a tight road win over Nebraska. He guided a 20-17 victory with poise, hitting 12 of 22 passes for 263 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions while adding 24 rushing yards on five carries. The result pushed Indiana to 6-0 and kept it sitting at No. 5 nationally, a place it has earned by surviving games like this one.
Nick Marsh was Hoovers biggest finishing piece, with the pair connecting twice for fourth-quarter touchdowns that swung the game Indianas way. In a conference race where every week seems to come with its own proof test, this was the sort of late-game execution that strengthens a teams standing far beyond the box score. The bigger question now is how long Indiana can keep turning those close calls into evidence that this start is for real. [Read more 🡒]