It was a rougher Saturday than Indiana had been used to, but the Hoosiers still head into the next stretch with plenty to sort through. Football’s unbeaten run since 2024 ended in a 19-15 loss to Ohio State in Bloomington, a game that came down to a few inches and left Indiana just short of what looked like a likely win.
That near miss also carried the feel of a likely No. 1 ranking in this week’s AP Top-25 poll. Instead, the focus shifts to Michigan, where Indiana visits the Wolverines this weekend in what could be a difficult road test.
There’s another storyline building around Bloomington, and it has a completely different tone. Darian DeVries appears to have turned Indiana men’s basketball into a force on the boards in his second season. In exhibition action, the Hoosiers controlled the glass against both Butler and North Carolina, and they have one more game coming Sunday in Evansville against Western Kentucky.
Indiana football enters this trip with a warning flag already on the table: strong, physical defensive fronts have given the Hoosiers trouble before. Iowa and Penn State did it last year, and Nebraska and Ohio State have created problems as well. Michigan comes in unranked, but that hasn’t kept the conversation from centering on whether The Big House could still present an upset threat.
Around the sport, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith remains the name sitting atop the Heisman ladder, even after Indiana held him to a season-low four catches for 68 yards. Smith still came through when it mattered, hauling in a 38-yard fourth-down touchdown that won the game and tied Braylon Edwards’ Big Ten career record. He continues to lead the country with 52 catches, though his odds dipped from about -215 last week as questions grew about who will be throwing to him with Julian Sayin sidelined.
The biggest move in that race belonged to Miami quarterback Darian Mensah, who jumped from +975 to +315 after the Hurricanes survived Florida State in double overtime and climbed to No. 1 in the AP poll. Trinidad Chambliss, the Ole Miss quarterback, stayed hot as well after back-to-back dominant wins over Vanderbilt and Missouri, keeping the Rebels in the SEC mix.
Notre Dame’s CJ Carr took a hit with the loss at BYU but gets a chance to change the picture quickly with Miami up next. Miami receiver Malachi Toney also remains in the conversation after playing a major role in the win over Florida State.
Smith is still the favorite, but the gap has narrowed. For the first time all season, the race has some real movement to it. If Ohio State’s offense struggles with a freshman quarterback and Miami keeps winning, Mensah has a path to New York.
In Other News...
Ryan Day Is Still Complaining About How Indiana Defended Jeremiah Smith
Curt Cignetti had plenty to point to after Indianas narrow loss to Ohio State, especially the way the Hoosiers handled Jeremiah Smith. On his weekly radio show, Cignetti credited the defensive plan for keeping the standout receiver in check, noting the mix of double teams and pressure on the quarterback that helped limit Smith to a season-low 68 yards.
Ryan Day, for his part, acknowledged the challenge Indiana presented but still came away sounding irritated by the way the game was officiated. On his own weekly radio show after Ohio States 19-15 win over Indiana, Day said he felt Smith was impacted by uncalled penalties, adding another layer to a game that already drew plenty of attention for how the Hoosiers defended one of college footballs most dangerous targets. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Offense Faces A Huge Opening In Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor is shaping up as one of those early-season tests where both offenses arrive with more questions than answers, and Indiana has a real chance to make the matchup uncomfortable. The Hoosiers have leaned on quarterback Josh Hoover and receiver Charlie Becker to keep their attack moving, while Michigan is turning to true freshman Tommy Carr after making a change at quarterback, a reminder that neither side is settled heading into this one.
For Indiana, the opening may be there if it can exploit the Wolverines uncertainty while also finding a little more balance of its own. Both teams have had issues getting their rushing and passing games where they want them, so the margin could come down to which defense holds up better, with Isaiah Jones anchoring Indiana and Troy Bowles leading Michigan. The setup leaves plenty of room for one side to seize control early, and plenty of reason to think this one could turn on a small handful of plays. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Has Two Growing Concerns Before Michigan
Indianas unbeaten run is gone, but the bigger issue coming out of the Ohio State loss was how uneven the Hoosiers looked in the areas that usually travel well in November. There were bright spots to point to, especially Amare Ferrells interceptions on defense and Charlie Beckers production in the passing game, yet the overall picture still left the kind of questions that tend to linger when a top team takes a hit.
The running game never quite found enough traction, and that matters even more with Michigan next on the schedule. So does the kicking situation, after Nico Radicic missed field goals in the loss. Indiana has enough good tape to keep confidence intact, but the Hoosiers also have a couple of clear fixes to sort out before the next test arrives. [Read more 🡒]