Ohio State is heading into its biggest Big Ten test so far, and the Buckeyes may have to lean on an unexpected name in Bloomington.
The matchup with Indiana comes after the game against Texas, when Ohio State blew a 20-point fourth-quarter lead. This one brings a top-five showdown, with the Hoosiers awaiting in Bloomington and the Buckeyes carrying the higher ranking into the game.
Jeremiah Smith, widely viewed as the best player in the country, will be central to the plan as usual. But the latest injury update has pushed Legend Bey into a far more important role than Ohio State probably expected.
According to the Big Ten availability report, Ja'Kobi Jackson is out. Jackson had become the most reliable running back on the roster, which makes his absence especially jarring in what should be one of the most important games of the conference slate. It was a surprise because he didn’t appear to be hurt against Maryland, but the report indicates he was injured late in that game and now won’t play.
Ohio State may also be down Isaiah West, who is listed as questionable. That opens the door for Bey to move up to second on the depth chart almost by default.
Bey has not exactly earned steady trust from the coaching staff, and the source of that hesitation has not been limited to on-field performance. Still, Ryan Day may not have much choice now but to give him real work throughout the game. West’s lone bad snap against Maryland - the one that nearly got Julian Sayin killed on the pick-six - only adds to the pressure on the depth behind Bo Jackson.
Bo Jackson remains the clear starter and finally topped 100 rushing yards last week against Maryland. He should handle the bulk of the carries against Indiana. But Bey’s chance is right there in front of him, and it is a meaningful one.
The expectation is that Bey will get at least seven to eight touches. That may not sound like much, but it could be enough to change the way Ohio State views him for the rest of the season if he does something with them. The Buckeyes need more than Smith carrying the offense on his own, no matter how dominant he has been.
If Ohio State is going to leave Bloomington with a win, it needs another weapon to emerge. Bey has a shot to be that guy.
Austin Siereveld is also out, which leaves the offensive line shorthanded again. That doesn’t make the task easier for either Bey or Jackson, but it does sharpen the opportunity for Bey. If he can break off big runs without the starting line in front of him, the staff will be forced to keep him in the mix.
In Other News...
Ohio State Gets Pulled Into A High-Stakes Fight Over Eligibility
The eligibility fight surrounding fifth-year athletes in Ohio has now spilled into federal court, with the NCAA suing Gov. Mike DeWine over the executive order that lets state universities challenge the associations ruling. For Ohio State and the rest of the states Division I programs, the issue is more than paperwork. It goes straight to how coaches build rosters, manage scholarship spots and weigh whether a veteran player can give them one more season.
The NCAA argues the order violates the Commerce Clause and the First Amendment by giving Ohio schools an unfair edge and allowing them to sidestep NCAA rules. Ohios Division I programs reportedly support the directive, and coaches have said they will make decisions based on what helps the team most. For a Buckeyes program always balancing immediate ambitions against long-term roster planning, the legal standoff adds another layer of uncertainty to an already delicate eligibility question. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Faces Two Pressing Questions In Huge Indiana Test
Jeremiah Smith has become one of the most important pieces in Ohio States offense, and his involvement figures to be a major storyline in Bloomington. The Buckeyes have been looking for ways to keep their passing game balanced and dangerous, and getting Smith the ball is part of that equation as they head into a matchup that carries real weight after last seasons Big Ten title game loss to Indiana.
Julian Sayins protection will matter just as much, because Indiana can make life uncomfortable if Ohio State lets pressure reach the quarterback too often. On the other side of the ball, the Buckeyes also need to close quickly on Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover and create enough disruption to tilt the game their way, with this trip offering both a chance at revenge and a test of whether Ohio State can handle the kind of pressure that usually decides big conference games. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Has A Chance To Shake Up The Big Ten Race
The Big Ten race is tightening at exactly the moment Ohio State would prefer some breathing room, and Indiana suddenly has a chance to make the leagues path a lot more complicated. The weekend slate comes with plenty of moving parts, from quarterback uncertainty elsewhere in the national picture to Ohio States own offensive line questions, but the Hoosiers are now positioned as one of the teams that could force the conversation to shift in a hurry.
For Buckeyes fans, that makes this a scoreboard-watching weekend as much as anything else. Alongside the predictions for the games themselves, the broadcasts are also expected to stir up talk about a possible 24-team College Football Playoff expansion, adding another layer to a week already loaded with speculation. If Indiana does its part, Ohio State may find the margin for error in the conference race getting thinner than it already is. [Read more 🡒]