Ohio State does not need a mystery formula to fix what went wrong against Indiana. The Buckeyes need the clean, physical kind of football that holds up when the game gets tight.
That was the message on the latest episode of The Script, where Cardale Jones, Beanie Wells and Dave Holmes broke down the rematch angle and kept circling back to the same basics: cut down the mistakes, get the run game moving, control the line of scrimmage and make Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover feel heat.
The Buckeyes are coming off a 45-16 win over Maryland, but the victory came with some ugly edges. Ohio State was flagged eight times and turned the ball over twice without forcing one of its own.
Wells made it clear he sees those kinds of lapses as more than just noise. “Those are certain things that can beat you,” he said.
Jones pointed to the weather as part of the problem, calling it “an overall sloppy day,” but the larger warning was simple: Indiana is not the kind of opponent that will waste those giveaways. The Hoosiers beat Ohio State last season, and the discussion on the podcast kept coming back to Indiana’s comfort in close games. Ohio State, meanwhile, had not spent much time in meaningful four-quarter battles before the Big Ten championship game.
There was also plenty of attention on the Buckeyes’ defense, which has sharpened up after earlier issues. Ohio State has shut down Iowa and Maryland, and Wells said he could “absolutely” bank on that unit.
Jones echoed that view, pointing to the way the defense has improved from week to week. Still, Indiana brings a different level of stress, and the Buckeyes will need to set the tone early rather than let the game settle in.
Jones was direct about what that means for Hoover. “You got to make Josh Hoover uncomfortable,” he said.
“You got to start putting some pressure on him often and early.” If Ohio State can stack pressure, force three-and-outs and create turnovers, Jones said, the Buckeyes can take control.
Wells tied that defensive push to the other side of the ball. “You better pack your run game and you better pack your defense,” he said. For Ohio State, the job is to win up front on both sides, stay balanced and keep Indiana from dictating the rhythm.
That balance becomes even more important because of the attention Jeremiah Smith is expected to draw. Smith had four catches for 93 yards and two touchdowns against Maryland, and the conversation centered on what happens when Indiana commits extra bodies to him. Ohio State will need somebody else to step into that space if the Hoosiers load up on their star receiver.
The blueprint is not complicated. Protect the ball.
Play with discipline. Run it.
Rush Hoover. And if the game turns into a late grind, Ohio State will have to prove it can handle the kind of close finish Indiana already knows how to win.
In Other News...
Ohio State Just Got A Clear Warning About Indiana's Quarterback
Indianas quarterback has already drawn a detailed scouting report heading into the matchup with Ohio State, and the message is pretty clear: the Buckeyes cannot treat this as a routine Big Ten assignment. Josh Hoover is expected to be the focal point of Indianas offense, with the discussion around him centered less on raw numbers than on the way the Hoosiers can create stress with their play design. The expectation is that Indiana will lean on deep shots and misdirection to test Ohio States discipline and communication.
For the Buckeyes, the bigger concern may be how much of that plan can be disrupted before it gets rolling. The source pointed to defensive approaches other teams have used against Indiana as possible blueprints, which puts the emphasis on preparation and recognition for Ohio States front and secondary. Hoovers ability to move around adds another layer, but the real issue is whether Ohio State can identify the counters fast enough when Indiana starts pushing the ball vertically and changing the picture in front of it. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Finally Gets The Early Test Fans Have Been Waiting For
Indianas narrow win over Nebraska did more than keep the Hoosiers moving forward, it preserved some real weight around their upcoming trip to Columbus. For Ohio State, that means the early stretch finally brings the kind of opponent fans have been waiting to measure this team against, with a conference game that should reveal more than the usual September tune-up.
The Hoosiers are not the same group that rolled through last season, either. They have had to replace star quarterback Fernando Mendoza with Josh Hoover, and that change only adds another layer to a matchup already carrying plenty of interest. For Ohio State, it is the sort of test that can start answering whether the Buckeyes are exactly where they think they are, or still have some proving to do. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Faces A Right Side Decision Before Indiana
Ohio State got a little breathing room with the bye week, but the right side of its offensive line is still something worth watching before Indiana arrives. Starting right tackle Austin Siereveld sat out the Maryland game with an injury and remains questionable, leaving the Buckeyes in a spot where health and continuity matter almost as much as the matchup itself.
Phillips Daniels is back after nearly a month away and is the next man up if Siereveld is not ready. For a team trying to use the extra time wisely, the week off gives Ohio State a chance to sort through a spot that can quietly shape protection, run-game rhythm and how comfortable the offense feels coming out of the break. [Read more 🡒]