A week after Ohio State snapped Indiana’s 22-game winning streak with a 19-15 win in Bloomington, the Hoosiers turned around and wrecked the stakes in Ann Arbor. Their 13-6 overtime victory over TTUN ended the Wolverines’ chance to reach the CFP and stripped “The Game” of its playoff implications for both teams.
The game itself was exactly what the scoreboard suggested: a defensive grind with almost no room to breathe. Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover made the one play that mattered most in overtime, finding tight end Brock Schott for 21 yards before punching in a 4-yard touchdown run to put the Hoosiers ahead. Hoover finished with just 81 passing yards, no touchdowns and one interception, but he delivered when it counted.
TTUN had one last shot to answer. Tommy Carr couldn’t complete a pass on 4th and 9 to Salesi Moa on the final play in overtime, and that was that.
Carr threw for 167 yards, but also had an interception and no touchdown passes. It was a line that looked better on paper than Hoover’s, but the result said everything.
Ohio State got a useful read on both teams from the Week 8 matchup. If the Big Ten Championship Game ends up being a rematch with Indiana in 2025, the Buckeyes now know they can handle the Hoosiers with defense. TTUN, meanwhile, looked like a team with too many leaks to patch, even with a defense that tackled well and kept pressure on Hoover and the run game.
The more immediate takeaway for Ohio State is even simpler: “The Game” should still tilt its way, even without Julian Sayin. Carr does not look like a major upgrade over Bryce Underwood, the running game managed only 57 yards, and TTUN kicker Trey Butkowski missed two field goals.
That matters for a Buckeyes team searching for stability with Sayin out and Luke Fahey and/or Tavien St. Clair potentially pushed into the spotlight.
Rivalry week, at least, should bring a little breathing room. The Wolverines are flawed, and more of those cracks figure to show before the teams meet.
Still, Ohio State can’t afford to get comfortable. A wounded TTUN remains dangerous, and a 5-6 Wolverines team led by Sherrone Moore already upset the Buckeyes at the “Shoe” during the 2024 title season.
If lessons from that one stuck, and if Ryan Day lets Arthur Smith handle the game plan without much interference, “The Game” should be a tune-up test for the CFP at worst.
That all depends, of course, on Ohio State taking care of business first. USC, Oregon, Northwestern and Nebraska are still on the schedule before the Wolverines come to town.
In Other News...
Ohio States Bye Week Boost Comes With A Serious New Concern
BYUs double-overtime loss to UCF shook up the AP Top 25 and opened the door for some movement near the top, but Ohio States bigger concern has little to do with the rankings. The Buckeyes are coming out of the bye week with questions attached to two key pieces of the offense, as injuries to quarterback Julian Sayin and running back JaKobi Jackson threaten to affect how much the team can lean on its usual rhythm.
Miami stayed at No. 1 after handling Pitt, while Ohio State is left sorting through the more immediate reality of how it will look in the games ahead. The Buckeyes have had enough stability to stay in the national conversation, but the timing of these injuries adds a real layer of uncertainty at a point in the season when every week starts to feel more consequential. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Faces A Complicated Ranking Drop After Costly Upset
Miami held onto the No. 1 spot in the AP college football rankings after a convincing win over Pittsburgh, with quarterback Darian Mensah and wide receiver Malachi Toney leading the way. The bigger shift, at least for the teams chasing the top, came from BYUs upset loss to unranked UCF in double overtime, a result that is expected to send the Cougars sliding after they had been sitting at No. 2.
For Ohio State, the ripple effect could be significant. The Buckeyes are projected to move up to No. 2 as pollsters reshuffle the upper tier after a chaotic weekend, with several top teams now under closer scrutiny depending on how they handled their latest tests. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Suddenly Faces A Season-Defining Test After Julian Sayin Injury
Julian Sayins injury has forced Ohio State into a different kind of stretch run, one that now hinges on how the Buckeyes handle a sudden change at quarterback. Luke Fahey is stepping in, and with the bye week arriving at a key moment, the staff has a little time to stabilize the offense and keep the season on track while the rest of the roster tries to carry the load.
There is still a path here for Ohio State to finish strong, make the College Football Playoff and stay in the national title conversation, but the margin for error is tighter now. The bigger picture also leaves room for long-term optimism, from Jeremiah Smiths Heisman-level ceiling to the idea that Sayin could eventually reclaim the job down the road, even if this season has already taken a sharp turn. [Read more 🡒]