Ryan Day isn’t interested in turning Saturday into a revenge mission.
That’s the backdrop for Ohio State’s meeting with Indiana, a matchup that already carries plenty of weight because of what happened last season. Indiana beat the Buckeyes 13-10 in the 2025 Big Ten Championship Game, and that result will naturally be part of the conversation. But Day made it clear he wants his team locked on the present, not the sting from a year ago.
“Well, I think everybody has their own thoughts and emotions, but I think, as we talked on Sunday and we’ll talk again today here in the team meeting, like nothing that happened in the past has anything to do with what’s going on this weekend,” Day said. “We can learn from the past, and so some of the guys who played in that game can learn about all the reasons why we came up short, and that’s fine, and that’s good.
But the focus has to be on right now, and that’s it. So that’s what we’re going to focus on, and that’ll be the best for the team.”
The history between the two programs tilts heavily toward Ohio State. The Buckeyes hold an 80-13-5 edge in the series, and from 1991 to 2024 they won every meeting on the field, with the lone exception being the 2010 game that was officially vacated after a 38-10 OSU win. Now, though, the Buckeyes are staring at the possibility of back-to-back losses to Indiana for the first time since 1987-88.
Both teams enter Saturday as two of the four Big Ten teams still unbeaten in conference play. Ohio State’s only loss came in Week 2 against Texas, a 24-23 defeat, and the Buckeyes have since ripped off four straight wins in convincing fashion.
The top-5 showdown kicks off at noon ET on FOX.
In Other News...
Khobie Martin Could Solve An Indiana Backfield Problem Soon
Indianas backfield has been pieced together for much of the early season, and Khobie Martins absence has been a big part of that. The running back suffered multiple breaks in his right forearm in the first quarter of the season opener, and Indiana had initially expected him back around midseason. Since then, the Hoosiers have had to shuffle bodies to get through the position, including moving freshman linebacker Henry Ohlinger into the running back room because of the injuries.
Curt Cignettis latest update offered a more encouraging picture, with Martin now nearing a return to action. For a position group that has been stretched thin, getting closer to full strength matters, especially as Indiana tries to stabilize its rotation and regain some depth. Martins comeback would not solve everything at once, but it would give the Hoosiers a much-needed option in a spot that has been under pressure since opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Indianas Biggest Ohio State Concern Just Became Hard To Ignore
Curt Cignetti had plenty to sort through after Indianas road win at Nebraska, and much of the conversation quickly turned to what comes next. The Hoosiers escaped Lincoln with a victory, but Cignetti pointed out the kinds of issues that tend to matter even more against a team like Ohio State, from missed defensive assignments to a running game that never really got comfortable because of the game conditions and Nebraskas defense.
The focus now shifts to a matchup that demands cleaner football, and Cignetti did not shy away from noting the scale of the challenge. He singled out Buckeyes receiver Jeremiah Smith as an exceptional player, a reminder that Indianas margin for error is going to be thin when the nation's elite show up on the schedule. The Hoosiers have reason to feel good about the win they just earned, but they also know the next test will expose every lapse that was manageable a week ago. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana May Have Found An Early Frontcourt Strength Fans Will Notice
Indianas preseason exhibition at Hinkle Fieldhouse offered an early look at a roster still taking shape, and the most encouraging signs may have come from the interior. In a 96-68 win over Butler, Markus Burton, Samet Yigitoglu and Darren Harris each finished with 13 points, but the frontcourt also gave the Hoosiers a stable foundation with Aiden Sherrell pulling down a team-high nine rebounds.
Sherrells activity around the glass and the way he and Yigitoglu worked together inside stood out as Indiana tried to establish some early balance. Trevor Manhertz also played a useful role in the rotation, giving the Hoosiers another option as they sort through the best combinations up front. [Read more 🡒]