Ohio State heads into its top-five showdown with Indiana short-handed again, but there’s a much better look on the other side of the ball.
The Buckeyes will be without Austin Siereveld and Ja’Kobi Jackson for the trip to Bloomington, and rotational safety Leroy Roker III is out as well. Siereveld is set to miss his second straight game, while Jackson, who started Ohio State’s last two games at running back, was added to the report after a strong showing against Maryland. Freshman wide receiver Brock Boyd, freshman defensive end Khary Wilder and third-string running back Isaiah West are listed as questionable.
There is encouraging news for Ohio State beyond that. The five starters who sat out last week against Maryland - wide receivers Brandon Inniss and Devin McCuin, linebacker Christian Alliegro, nickelback Jay Timmons and right tackle Phillip Daniels - are all off the injury report, which points to a return for each of them.
Siereveld was ruled out just hours before the Maryland game because of a non-football illness. Ryan Day described him as “day-to-day” afterward, but Ohio State’s medical staff has since determined he won’t be available this week.
Jackson’s status comes as more of a surprise. He ran for 76 yards on 14 carries against Maryland, then was seen limping back to the locker room with tape on his right ankle, according to Eleven Warriors’ Lyle Alenstein.
The Buckeyes have a clear plan for the reshuffled offensive line. Phillip Daniels is back and will slide in at starting right tackle, while Gabe VanSickle moves back to right guard after filling in at tackle last week. Daniels had missed Ohio State’s last four games before returning to action.
At running back, Bo Jackson is set to take over the starting job again after working off the bench the last two weeks. If Isaiah West can’t go, freshman Legend Bey could see a bigger slice of the workload.
Indiana, meanwhile, is dealing with very little on its injury report. The Hoosiers list only two players: running back Khobie Martin as doubtful and tight end Andrew Barker as questionable.
Martin was supposed to be Indiana’s No. 2 back this season behind Turbo Richard, but he hasn’t played yet. Lee Beebe Jr. has handled the backup role in his absence and has 551 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 98 carries, while Richard leads the Hoosiers with 597 yards and five touchdowns on 71 attempts.
Barker was Indiana’s starting tight end from its second through fifth games before missing last week against Nebraska.
In Other News...
Ohio State Just Got A Clear Warning About Indiana's Quarterback
As Ohio State turns its attention to Indiana, the Buckeyes are getting an early look at what makes the Hoosiers offense tricky to sort out. The scouting picture centers on quarterback Josh Hoover, with one source flagging his ability to threaten defenses as a runner while also pointing to Indianas willingness to hunt chunk plays through the air and keep opponents off balance with misdirection.
For a Buckeyes defense preparing for a Big Ten test, that mix matters because it can force constant discipline at every level of the field. The same analysis also pointed to tactics other teams have used against Indiana, giving Ohio State a few possible answers to study before kickoff, even if the real challenge will be carrying those ideas onto the field and finding out which ones actually hold up. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State May Be Getting Key Help As One Problem Lingers
Ryan Day said Ohio State could get a much healthier look ahead of its game against Indiana, with several key players who missed the Maryland game expected back in the mix. The update matters for a team still trying to settle in after dealing with absences, and it gives the Buckeyes a chance to restore some stability on both sides of the ball as they move deeper into the stretch run.
Still, one familiar issue has not gone away. Day pointed to the red zone offense as a work in progress, and Ohio State has been adjusting personnel packages in search of better scoring efficiency once it gets close to the goal line. Some players remain questionable because of injuries or non-football illnesses, so even with reinforcements potentially on the way, the Buckeyes are still waiting to see how complete they can be when they line up against Indiana. [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 in question as it turns toward Indiana. Starting right tackle Austin Siereveld sat out the Maryland game with an injury, and his status remains unsettled for the next matchup, leaving the Buckeyes to sort out protection on the edge before the schedule picks back up.
Phillips Daniels gives Ohio State a workable fallback after missing nearly a month himself, and he is expected to handle right tackle duties if Siereveld is not ready. The extra week should help the Buckeyes buy time for one more recovery push, but it also leaves the staff waiting on a decision that could shape how the line looks when the Hoosiers arrive. [Read more 🡒]