Indiana’s recruiting profile has risen by the time the 2026 roster takes the field, but Ohio State still sits in a different tier.
That gap will be on display Saturday at Memorial Stadium, when the No. 4 Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) meet the No.
5 Buckeyes (5-1, 3-0 Big Ten) in a rematch of last year’s Big Ten title game. Indiana will bring more blue-chip talent onto the field than it did a year ago - four 4-stars, two top-100 recruits and only three unranked players, down from eight - yet the Buckeyes remain loaded by comparison, according to 247Sports composite rankings.
The clearest divide shows up in the top-end talent. Indiana’s 2026 roster includes no 5-stars, while Ohio State has six.
IU has four 4-stars; Ohio State has 14. Indiana’s top-100 count sits at two, and Ohio State’s at 11.
Even with Indiana’s improvement, the Buckeyes still have 15 starters who ranked inside the top 200 as recruits, while IU has only two. Ohio State has just one starter who ranked outside the top 1,000 overall recruits coming out of high school; Indiana has six.
There’s no escaping the mismatch at quarterback, where Indiana’s Josh Hoover is a 3-star prospect from the 2022 class ranked No. 709 nationally, while Ohio State’s Julian Sayin arrived as a 5-star recruit in 2024 and checked in at No. 6.
The difference carries across the skill spots, too. Indiana wideout Charlie Becker was a 3-star recruit ranked No. 977, while Ohio State’s Devin McCuin was a 3-star ranked No.
- Indiana’s Nick Marsh gives the Hoosiers a 4-star at No. 176, but he still lines up opposite Jeremiah Smith, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2024 class.
Indiana also has Shazz Preston, a 4-star from 2022 ranked No. 56, against Brandon Inniss, a 4-star from 2023 ranked No. 38.
At running back, Indiana’s Turbo Richard was a 3-star at No. 1,421, while Ohio State’s Bo Jackson came in as a 4-star ranked No. 161.
At tight end, Indiana’s Trevor Gibbs is a 3-star from the 2026 class at No. 586, compared with Ohio State’s Nate Robers, a 4-star from 2025 ranked No. 203.
The offensive line tilts heavily toward Ohio State, beginning on the edges and running right through the interior. Indiana’s Carter Smith is a 3-star from 2022 at No. 730, while Ohio State’s Ian Moore is a 4-star from 2024 at No.
- Drew Evans is listed as a 0-star prospect for Indiana, opposite Luke Montgomery, a 4-star ranked No.
- At center, Bray Lynch is a 3-star at No. 1,033, and Carson Hinzman brings a 4-star profile at No.
- Indiana’s Joe Brunner is the lone Hoosiers lineman with a 4-star label, coming in at No. 85, while Ohio State’s Gabe VanSickle is a 4-star at No.
- On the right side, Indiana’s Ajani Adedamola is a 3-star at No. 947, and Ohio State’s Austin Siereveld is a 4-star at No.
Up front on defense, the Buckeyes again bring the bigger names. Indiana’s Mario Landino is a 3-star from 2024 at No. 2,398, while Ohio State counters with Eddrick Houston, a 5-star from 2024 ranked No.
- Tyrique Tucker is listed as a 0-star for Indiana against Ohio State’s John Walker, a 4-star from 2023 at No.
- At end, Indiana’s Tobi Osunsanmi is a 3-star from 2022 at No. 872, paired against Kenyatta Jackson Jr., a 4-star from 2022 ranked No.
- Stephen Daley is a 3-star from 2022 at No. 1,987, while Qua Russaw gives Ohio State another 5-star, ranked No.
The linebackers show the same pattern. Indiana’s Isaiah Jones is a 3-star from 2022 at No. 997, and Rolijah Hardy is listed as a 0-star.
Ohio State’s Payton Pierce is a 4-star at No. 204, and Christian Alliegro is a 3-star from 2023 at No. 1,271.
In the secondary, Indiana has Jaylen Bell, a 3-star from 2023 at No. 1,039, across from Jermaine Mathews Jr., a 4-star at No. 47.
Jamari Sharpe is a 3-star from 2022 at No. 826, while Ohio State’s Devin Sanchez was a 5-star in 2025 and ranked No. 8.
At safety, Preston Zachman is a 3-star from 2020 at No. 1,310 opposite Earl Little Jr., a 4-star from 2022 at No. 106.
Amare Ferrell is a 3-star from 2022 at No. 578, while Ohio State’s Jay Timmons is a 5-star from 2026 at No. 25.
The final safety matchup features Indiana’s Byron Baldwin Jr., a 4-star from 2025 at No. 258, against Ohio State’s Jaylen McClain, a 4-star from 2024 at No. 375.
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