Indiana football gets its biggest stage of the season Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, and the matchup with Ohio State comes with plenty hanging over it for both sides. The Hoosiers are trying to stay perfect in 2026 and push their program-record winning streak to 23 games. The Buckeyes, meanwhile, are after payback for last year’s Big Ten Championship Game and looking for the kind of win that can help erase the sting of their season-opening loss at Texas.
One place Indiana can tilt this game is up front against the run. Ohio State’s rushing attack has not been especially dangerous through the first half of the season, and it heads into this one without Ja’Kobi Jackson, who is second on the team in carries behind Bo Jackson.
Bo Jackson has averaged 5.2 yards per carry, but he still hasn’t produced a truly huge outing. That gives Indiana’s linebackers a real chance to squeeze the Buckeyes out of their comfort zone, and Isaiah Jones should be right in the middle of it.
The Ohio native, whose father played at Ohio State, has already looked like a stabilizing force for the defense, whether he’s making the play himself or lining teammates up to make it. Expect that impact to show up here, with Ohio State forced to lean on the passing game more than it wants.
Charlie Becker is another Indiana name that fits this matchup perfectly. He burned Ohio State last year in the Big Ten Championship Game, catching six passes for 126 yards and coming through with multiple grabs in key spots.
His late third-down catch helped all but finish the Buckeyes off, and he later went viral for an exchange with his father, who played at Ohio State, in the stands while mocking the Buckeyes’ “O-H” chant. Ohio State will surely have extra motivation to keep him in check this time, but that may not be enough.
Becker looks set for his best showing of the 2026 season, topping 100 receiving yards and finding the end zone at least once.
The pressure on Ohio State could extend beyond one position or one player. Indiana’s pass rush made the difference in last season’s meeting, when it got to Julian Sayin five times in the Big Ten Championship Game.
The Buckeyes’ offensive line has not appeared much sturdier this season, and injury issues only add to the concern. Indiana, by contrast, is set to have its defensive line fully available, with Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt joining Tyrique Tucker, Mario Landino, Tobi Osunsanmi and others.
That group has a chance to make life miserable again, and a three-sack day for the Hoosiers would fit the shape of this matchup nicely.
In Other News...
Curt Cignetti Has Indiana Chasing A Milestone Against Ohio State
Curt Cignetti has turned Indiana football into a program with real staying power in just over two seasons, guiding the Hoosiers to a 33-2 overall record and a 20-1 mark in Big Ten play. Along the way, he has matched the total number of wins former coach Tom Allen reached in Bloomington, a striking comparison given Allens 33-49 record across his tenure.
Now Indiana gets another chance to add to that climb when Ohio State comes to town, a matchup that already carries plenty of weight after the Buckeyes beat the Hoosiers in conference play but later lost to them in the Big Ten Championship Game. A win would give Cignetti his 34th at Indiana and move him past Allen on the programs all-time list, which is part of why this one feels like more than just another high-profile league game. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Won A Huge NCAA Eligibility Fight For Now
A major eligibility battle has gone Indianas way for the moment, with the Indiana Court of Appeals denying the NCAAs emergency motion to stay a preliminary injunction that keeps several Hoosier athletes on the field and court. For Indiana football players Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt, along with basketball player Sam Alexis, the ruling means they remain eligible to compete while the legal fight plays out, giving the university some immediate relief in a case with broader implications for a much larger group of athletes.
The courts decision also keeps the current status quo for the 97 student athletes covered by the lawsuit while the NCAAs appeal is pending. The association had argued that allowing those athletes to keep competing would create irreparable harm, but the court did not see enough reason to halt the injunction for now, leaving Indiana with a temporary win and the NCAA still searching for a way to reverse it. [Read more 🡒]
Indianas Biggest Test Yet Carries Massive Stakes Against Ohio State
Indianas unbeaten start survived another scare with a 20-17 escape over Nebraska, and the reward is a stage that has been looming for months. The Hoosiers are 6-0 again, just as they have been in each of Curt Cignettis first three seasons, and theyre carrying a 22-game winning streak into a visit from No. 4 Ohio State in Bloomington.
This one brings far more than conference standings into play. Indiana gets the Buckeyes in a rematch of the 2025 Big Ten Championship Game, which means the Hoosiers are not only trying to protect their perfect record, but also see how they stack up against the program standing between them and the top-tier credibility theyve been building toward all season. [Read more 🡒]