Julian Sayin’s shoulder injury has jolted the national title picture, and it could have a major ripple effect for Indiana’s push to repeat.
Ohio State beat Indiana 19-15 in Bloomington this past weekend, a result that only added more heat to a rivalry that has grown fast over the last few seasons. The Buckeyes and Hoosiers are the last two National Champions in college football, with Ohio State winning it all in 2024 before Indiana followed with a historic 16-0 run and a title in 2025. Indiana also took down Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game during that march.
Even with the loss, Indiana remains right in the thick of the national conversation. That much became clearer after a wild Week 7, when five of the top-seven teams lost and the odds board got shaken up again. Sayin’s injury is now part of that mix, and it changes the outlook for both Ohio State and Indiana moving forward.
Sayin injured his throwing shoulder against Indiana and has been ruled out indefinitely. Before that news was fully out, Ohio State’s national title odds sat at +470 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
They’ve since moved to +500. Indiana is sitting at +750, with Miami between them at +600.
Notre Dame leads the board at +460, and Georgia is close behind at +480.
Both Ohio State and Indiana are now 6-1. Ohio State’s only loss came in Week 2 on the road against then-No. 4 Texas, when the Buckeyes were ranked No. 2 and blew a 23-3 lead in the fourth quarter.
Now the focus shifts to how Ohio State handles life without Sayin. Luke Fahey is expected to take over at quarterback for the foreseeable future, and he enters the job as a relatively unknown piece. How the Buckeye offense looks with Fahey under center will be one of the biggest questions in the weeks ahead.
The timing is at least workable for Ohio State, which has a bye in Week 8. That gives Fahey a little breathing room before the schedule tightens back up.
And it is a brutal stretch. The Buckeyes travel to No.
16 USC on October 31, host Oregon on November 7, host No. 24 Northwestern on Nov. 14, go to Nebraska on November 21 and then face Michigan in November.
There’s no easy landing spot in that run, especially with a backup quarterback steering the offense.
Indiana’s path looks a little cleaner. The Hoosiers head to Michigan this Saturday, then get Minnesota at home on October 31.
After that, they host No. 16 USC on November 14, travel to Washington on November 21 and finish the regular season at home against Purdue on Nov.
- Indiana enters Week 8 healthy, and its remaining slate appears more manageable than Ohio State’s.
There is still a chance these teams cross paths again later this season, whether that happens in the Big Ten title game or the College Football Playoff. If it does, Sayin’s absence would make the rematch a different challenge for Indiana.
In Other News...
Indiana Heads To Michigan With An Edge Fans Will Notice
A healthy roster has become one of Indianas quieter advantages heading into Saturdays trip to Michigan. While the Wolverines are juggling a long availability report that includes seven players out and seven more questionable, the Hoosiers arrive with no one listed as unavailable and a roster that looks close to full strength. Even better for Indiana, running back Khobie Martin is expected back after his injury, which gives the Hoosiers another option as they prepare for a Noon ET kickoff on FOX.
In a Big Ten game like this, that kind of stability can matter just as much as scheme or momentum. Michigan will still have plenty of talent on the field, but the uncertainty surrounding so many names on its report adds another layer to a matchup that already carries real weight. Indiana does not have to navigate the same injury concerns, and that edge could be one fans notice once the game starts to unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Raised The Pressure On Two Big Ten Powers
Curt Cignettis start at Indiana has done more than change the mood around Bloomington. It has also sharpened the spotlight on two Big Ten heavyweights now dealing with the awkward reality that rapid turnaround is possible, and that patience is getting thinner in a conference where every stumble gets magnified. With UCLA also in the mix of coaching change and roster upheaval, the leagues latest wave of rebuilding has only made Indianas jump forward look more striking.
For Michigan and Penn State, that comparison is the uncomfortable part. New coaches Kyle Whittingham and Matt Campbell inherit the same modern pressures every program now faces, from the transfer portal to NIL, but Indianas rise under Cignetti is a reminder that excuses do not last long when results start showing elsewhere. The Hoosiers have effectively raised the standard in the room, and that puts even more pressure on the established powers to prove they can keep pace. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces A Make-Or-Break Test As Passing Game Draws Focus
Indiana heads into its upcoming Big Ten matchup with Michigan carrying more than just the usual conference pressure, because the passing game has become a major point of attention. Josh Hoover remains central to what the Hoosiers want to do offensively, and freshman Tommy Carr is part of the conversation as Indiana looks for answers against a Michigan defense that has earned its reputation for being difficult to move the ball against.
The matchup feels like a revealing one for Indiana because recent struggles have sharpened the focus on how the offense responds when the margin for error shrinks. Michigans defensive strength presents a tough test for the Hoosiers, and the way Indiana handles that challenge could say plenty about where the passing game stands right now, even before any final result comes into view. [Read more 🡒]