Ohio State’s 19-15 win at Indiana did more than keep the Buckeyes rolling. It also gave the stat sheet a fresh look, and in a few places, the numbers tell the story of a team that won ugly, defended hard and still has some cleanup to do before USC.
The biggest takeaway from Bloomington is that Ohio State’s defense again carried the load. The Buckeyes held Indiana’s offense in check long enough to survive a rough day from Julian Sayin, who completed 52 percent of his passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns before leaving with an injury in the fourth quarter. Jeremiah Smith was limited to four catches for 68 yards and a touchdown, while Bo Jackson finished with 56 rushing yards on 18 carries.
Sayin’s status looms larger now that he has already been ruled out for “several weeks,” with freshman Luke Fahey expected to step in as the starter. But even with the quarterback situation unsettled, Ohio State still heads into its bye week with strong marks on the defensive side and a few special teams numbers that have held steady.
Ohio State’s scoring defense sits at 13.4 points allowed per game, which ranks tied for fifth nationally and second in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes are giving up 264.3 yards per game, good for eighth nationally and second in the conference.
Against the pass, they allow 171.4 yards per game, placing them 21st nationally and fifth in the Big Ten. Against the run, that number is 92.86 yards per game, good for 19th nationally and fourth in the league.
The red-zone and third-down figures are a little less clean. Opponents are converting 38.38 percent of their third downs against Ohio State, which ranks 79th nationally and 14th in the Big Ten. Red-zone defense is still solid, though, with opponents scoring on 78.57 percent of trips, tied for 42nd nationally and third in the conference.
The pass rush has not piled up huge totals yet. Ohio State has 10 sacks, tied for 101st nationally and 12th in the Big Ten.
Special teams has been steadier. The Buckeyes are averaging 43.79 yards per punt, tied for 51st nationally and ninth in the Big Ten.
Field goals are at 80 percent, tied for 48th nationally and tied for 11th in the league, while extra points remain perfect at 100 percent, tied for first nationally and in the Big Ten. Kickoff returns are still an issue, with Ohio State averaging 15.43 yards per return, 124th nationally and 17th in the conference.
The win over Indiana came with several notable milestones attached. Saturday was the 100th meeting between the schools, and Ohio State now holds an 82-13-5 edge in the series.
The Buckeyes have won 31 of the last 32 against the Hoosiers and have not lost at Memorial Stadium since 1988. Ryan Day is 7-1 against Indiana.
The result also put Ohio State in a rare national spot: the Buckeyes are one of just two FBS teams with multiple ranked road wins after beating No. 14 Iowa on Oct. 3 and No. 5 Indiana on Saturday.
The victory snapped a few Indiana streaks at once. The Hoosiers’ 22-game winning streak, the longest in the country, is over.
So is their 19-game home winning streak and their 15-game Big Ten winning streak. Since the start of the 2024 season, Indiana is now 1-2 against Ohio State and 32-1 against everyone else.
The numbers around Ohio State’s program remain massive. The Buckeyes are 996-338-53 all-time and still own the highest winning percentage in college football history.
Saturday’s No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchup also carried some historical weight.
It was the 49th time in program history that Ohio State played a game with both teams ranked in the top five. The Buckeyes are 25-23-1 in those games.
Day’s résumé keeps growing, too. He is now 88-13 as Ohio State’s head coach, good for the fourth-most wins in school history and just six behind Jim Tressel for third.
His 87.1 career winning percentage trails only Knute Rockne among FBS head coaches in the sport’s history. Under Day, Ohio State is 59-5 in Big Ten play, 30-4 on the road overall, and 29-3 in road conference games.
He also picked up a few more signature wins along the way. Saturday was Day’s 29th victory over a ranked opponent, his 17th over a top-10 team and his ninth over a top-five team.
There were individual milestones on offense as well, even in a game that was far from smooth. Smith entered Saturday already as Ohio State’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
His touchdown catch against Indiana tied Braylon Edwards for the most receiving touchdowns in Big Ten history at 39. Smith now needs 111 receptions and 247 receiving yards to break the conference records in those categories.
Sayin’s numbers still stand out despite the uneven day in Bloomington. His career completion percentage is 73.4, which remains the best in Ohio State history and would also be an NCAA record. He is now seventh in program history with 437 completions, eighth with 52 touchdown passes and ninth with 5,701 passing yards after passing Mike Tomczak.
And on defense, the younger players made their mark. Jay Timmons forced a fumble in the third quarter, ending Indiana’s streak of 1,473 snaps without one, the longest active run in the FBS. Jaylen McClain forced another fumble on the next series, giving Ohio State two takeaways in quick succession and helping turn a tight road game into a win.
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The best part for Ohio State followers was getting a reminder of how much Buckeye talent still filters through the league, even in a packed Sunday of results. Houstons trip to London added one more layer to the conversation, and Seattles game gave fans another chance to keep an eye on a former star in a tough result, which made the day feel like a cross-sport sequel to the weekend in Bloomington. [Read more 🡒]