Saturday’s meeting between Indiana and Ohio State already feels like the kind of game people circle on the calendar the moment the schedule comes out. Indiana is 6-0 and sitting at No. 5, while Ohio State is 5-1 and ranked No. 4, and the build-up has only grown louder because of the way these teams have gone at each other in recent seasons.
But before kickoff even gets here, Indiana has something that could matter just as much as rankings or reputation: a health edge.
That gap showed up sharply for Ohio State in its 45-16 win over Maryland. The Buckeyes finished that game down five starters, and three of those absences came on the offensive line. Among the players who missed the game were star RG Austin Siereveld, WR Brandon Inniss, WR Devin McCuin, LB Christian Alliegro, and backup S Leroy Roker III.
The bigger problem for the Buckeyes came during the game itself. Starting left guard Luke Montgomery went down with a lower body injury, and starting right tackle Phillip Daniels has already been out since the Texas game on Sept.
- That left Ohio State scrambling in the trenches, with Gabe VanSickle moving to tackle for the first time in his collegiate career and Jake Cook shifting from tight end to right guard.
Indiana, meanwhile, has kept itself in much better shape. The Hoosiers have dealt with some injuries this season, but for the most part they’ve stayed relatively healthy. Their Week 6 injury report was clean for the Nebraska game, and they should head into Week 7 against Ohio State at nearly full strength.
That matters because the Buckeyes’ offensive line has already been an area of concern in recent seasons, and it looks like a possible weak spot again. If Indiana wants to take advantage, its defensive front will need to play with force and win the physical battles up front. The Hoosiers have the talent and experience to do that, and their play has been getting better as the season has moved along.
For now, Indiana’s biggest edge is simple: it looks healthier than Ohio State.
The first Big Ten availability reports for Week 7 are due Wednesday, and they’ll be updated each day after that. With the injury picture still shifting, those reports should offer a clearer read on who will be available when the Hoosiers and Buckeyes meet on Saturday.
In Other News...
Curt Cignetti Revealed Where Indianas Winning Touchdown Came From
Indianas 20-17 win over Nebraska turned on a 44-yard touchdown from Josh Hoover to Nick Marsh, a strike that gave the Hoosiers the edge in a tight game that never really let either side relax. Afterward, Curt Cignetti pointed to an outside source for the design behind the decisive play, crediting the offensive creativity Kansas showed during Andy Kotelnickis time running that attack.
Cignetti said the concept came from that Kansas era and specifically from a fourth-and-1 idea that had become one of the calling cards of Kotelnickis record-setting offense. For Indiana, it was a reminder that big moments can come from borrowed ideas as much as bold execution, and the larger question now is how often the Hoosiers can keep turning that kind of creativity into game-changing touchdowns. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces The Game That Could Change Everything Nationally
Indianas unbeaten run has set up a November-style spotlight in Bloomington a little earlier than expected, with Memorial Stadium now getting the kind of stage that can reshape a season in a hurry. The Hoosiers enter at 6-0 and ranked inside the top five, and the visit from Ohio State brings a familiar heavyweight into a building that has not often hosted a game with this much national pull.
Ohio State arrives with one loss and a top-five ranking of its own, which is what makes this matchup feel less like a milestone and more like a measuring stick. Between the history of the programs, the coaching matchup, the betting line and a full game day buildup around Bloomington, Indiana gets a chance to prove the opening surge is more than a hot start and maybe more than that if it can handle the moment. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Showed Real Promise In One Area Fans Still Cant Ignore
Indianas exhibition win over Butler at Hinkle Fieldhouse offered a useful early look at what this group can already do well. The Hoosiers controlled the boards, with Aiden Sherrell pulling down nine rebounds, and they also showed some promising perimeter touch in a 96-68 victory that gave plenty of reasons for optimism before the games start counting.
Still, the same outing also reminded everyone of a familiar concern. Multiple players found themselves in foul trouble, and that kind of issue can quickly limit rotations and disrupt rhythm once the competition tightens, even as Indianas shooting from deep and contributions from Darren Harris and Markus Burton point to a team with more offensive balance than it has had in recent years. [Read more 🡒]