Ohio State walked into the locker room with a 10-7 lead, but the first half in Bloomington never really settled into the Buckeyes’ rhythm. The Big Ten showdown has been defined by stalled drives, a defense that tightened at the right moments, and a passing game that’s had to work much harder than expected.
Indiana got on the board first after forcing Julian Sayin into a tipped interception, then turning that into a 7-yard touchdown drive. Ohio State answered with a field goal after opening the game with a promising march that fizzled in the red zone.
For most of the half, the Hoosier defense kept the Buckeyes quiet, but the final five minutes changed the look of the game. Ohio State strung together a 15-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a Bo Jackson touchdown reception on fourth down.
The biggest issue for Ohio State has been the lack of production from Jeremiah Smith. The Heisman favorite has been held to two catches for 20 yards, and Indiana has clearly treated him like the central problem to solve.
The Hoosiers have consistently doubled him, and that attention forced Sayin into a throw that was tipped and intercepted. On the next drive, Sayin also underthrew Smith on a deep ball.
Ohio State has to find a better way to manufacture touches for No. 4.
The Buckeyes did get Smith involved on the touchdown drive with a bubble screen, and that may be the kind of quick-hit answer they lean on more in the second half. If Indiana keeps taking Smith away, Chris Henry Jr. may have to carry more of the load.
He already gave Ohio State a boost with two catches for 51 yards in the first half.
Sayin’s night has been uneven, especially once Indiana started getting heat on him. He opened by completing his first four passes, but since then he has gone 6-for-17 with an interception.
He has been sacked twice, and the pressure has clearly thrown off his timing. The offensive line has had trouble protecting him, and Sayin has also missed several throws with Hoosiers in his face.
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Ohio State Gets Pulled Into A High-Stakes Fight Over Eligibility
The eligibility fight that has pulled Ohio State and the rest of the states Division I programs into the middle of a much bigger legal clash is no longer just about football or basketball rosters. The NCAA has sued Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine over his executive order that lets state universities challenge the organizations ruling on fifth-year athletes, turning a routine-sounding eligibility dispute into a test of how far a state can go in carving out its own path.
At the heart of the lawsuit is the NCAAs argument that the order violates the Commerce Clause and the First Amendment by giving Ohio schools an unfair edge and letting them sidestep national rules. Ohios Division I programs are said to support the move, and coaches have already made clear they will handle roster choices with team interests in mind, which leaves Ohio State waiting on a legal process that could reshape how fifth-year eligibility is handled across the state. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Faces Two Pressing Questions In Huge Indiana Test
Ohio State heads to Bloomington with a clear sense of what will matter most against Indiana, and the matchup starts with making sure Jeremiah Smith is a bigger part of the offense. The Buckeyes know they need to keep freshman quarterback Julian Sayin comfortable, which means a cleaner pocket and better answers when Indiana brings pressure.
Indiana can make life difficult by getting after the quarterback and forcing Ohio State to operate under stress, while the Buckeyes also need to make sure they can do the same in return against Josh Hoover. With last seasons Big Ten title game loss still part of the backdrop, this is the kind of test that can reveal whether Ohio State is ready to handle a physical road environment and finish drives when the game tightens up. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Still Has Three Problems Indiana Could Expose
Midway through the 2026 season, Ohio State is still carrying a few questions that have not gone away, even with Jeremiah Smith continuing to anchor the passing game. The Buckeyes have not found a consistent second receiver to take pressure off him, and that matters in a matchup like the one ahead with Indiana, where defenses can focus on the star and force someone else to win.
There is also the bigger concern up front, where Ohio State has not produced the kind of pass rush its standards usually demand and sits 101st nationally in sacks. Close games tend to magnify every mistake, and the kicking game has become part of that conversation after Connor Hawkins missed field goals against ranked opponents, leaving the Buckeyes with one more area that could be tested when Indiana arrives. [Read more 🡒]