Indiana is heading into Saturday’s showdown with Ohio State looking far healthier than the Buckeyes, and that’s a problem for Ryan Day’s team before the ball is even kicked in Bloomington.
The Hoosiers appear set to have their defensive core intact for the Big Ten game of the year, with long-term injury issues limited to one starter. Tight end Andrew Barker is the only regular from Indiana’s first unit who remains out, and he’s been sidelined since the Rutgers game with no timetable for a return.
Beyond that, Indiana got a boost in its comeback 20-17 win over Nebraska in Lincoln. Defensive end Daniel Ndukwe returned after missing the Scarlet Knights game in Week 5, giving the Hoosiers one of their better backfield hunters back in the rotation.
A.J. Harris also came back against the Cornhuskers after sitting out since Week 1.
Curt Cignetti and Bryant Haines had to lean on Jaylen Bell and Jamari Sharpe while Harris was out, and Harris was eased in before taking over in the second half. Indiana’s defense settled in late, especially after Sharpe was targeted by Huskers quarterback Anthony Colandrea.
For the Hoosiers, that win had the feel of a trap game they survived while getting closer to full strength. Now they get Ohio State with what looks like a mostly clean injury sheet, assuming practice goes smoothly through the week.
The Buckeyes, meanwhile, are arriving in Bloomington with a roster that’s anything but whole.
Ohio State’s offensive line is dealing with multiple injured starters. Right tackle Phillip Daniels has not played since the Texas game, and right guard/tackle Austin Siereveld, who may be the most NFL-ready player in that group, missed the Maryland game. Jake Cook and Gabe VanSickle filled in against the Terrapins, but the results weren’t exactly reassuring, even against a Maryland front that didn’t exactly bring fear to the table.
There are also question marks at receiver and on defense. Brandon Inniss and Devin McCuin are uncertain, along with nickel Jay Timmons and linebacker Christian Alliegro.
That puts even more pressure on Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith, who have already carried plenty for Ohio State. Smith has posted two games with more than 200 receiving yards and four more above 150, and the connection between him and Sayin has been the center of Ohio State’s offense all season. Sayin’s limited volume to other receivers has only helped Smith’s Heisman case.
Still, the Buckeyes cannot expect those two to do everything on their own against Indiana.
Bo Jackson and Ja’Kobi Jackson gave Ohio State a needed ground push against Maryland, combining for 183 rushing yards and two touchdowns. They’ll need another strong showing Saturday against an Indiana defense that ranks No. 7 nationally against the run.
Ohio State could also use another productive day from its tight ends. Nate Roberts’ 68-yard touchdown catch and Mason Williams’ score at the goal line helped keep Maryland at arm’s length, and production like that may be required again.
Against a healthy Indiana defense, Sayin and Smith will need help wherever they can find it.
In Other News...
Ohio State Just Got Snubbed Before A Huge Top 10 Road Test
Ohio States trip to Indiana was shaping up as one of the weekends biggest showcases, but College GameDay is heading somewhere else. Instead of Bloomington, the pregame crew will set up for BYU and Notre Dame in Provo, a top-10 matchup that also carries plenty of national appeal and gives the show another marquee stage.
For the Buckeyes, the snub is notable because this was the kind of road test that usually brings extra attention, especially with a top-10 opponent waiting and a chance to make a statement away from home. Ohio State fans may not get another GameDay appearance this season, so this one feels like a missed opportunity even before the Buckeyes take the field. [Read more 🡒]
Marvin Harrison Jr. Just Landed In A Familiar NFL Situation
Marvin Harrison Jr.s NFL path has taken another sharp turn, this time landing him in Houston after the Cardinals agreed to send the former Ohio State standout and a future seventh-round pick to the Texans for a 2027 second- and sixth-rounder. The move is expected to become official once Harrison passes a physical, and it sets up a familiar reunion for one of the Buckeyes biggest recent stars.
Harrison will be back with C.J. Stroud, the quarterback who helped make him such a feared weapon in college before both became first-round NFL names. For Ohio State fans, it is the kind of pairing that feels instantly recognizable, even if the pro version has taken some unexpected stops to get there. [Read more 🡒]
Julian Sayin's 4 Touchdowns Didn't End Ohio State's Bigger Debate
Ohio State leaned heavily on Jeremiah Smith against Maryland, and the freshman receiver responded with two long touchdown catches that helped drive the Buckeyes offense. Julian Sayin did have a productive day overall, but his performance was more complicated than the box score suggested, with moments of poise mixed in with a fumble and an interception return touchdown tied to a protection breakdown.
Sayin did show some growth by extending plays and keeping drives alive, yet the larger concern for Ohio State remained the same afterward: the quarterback still has not consistently built strong connections with receivers outside of Smith. For a team with bigger goals ahead, that makes the passing game feel a little more settled in production than in identity. [Read more 🡒]