Indiana’s plan was clear: don’t let Jeremiah Smith take over. On that front, the Hoosiers did enough to keep Ohio State’s star receiver from running wild, even if they couldn’t completely take him out of the picture.
Smith finished with four catches for 68 yards and a touchdown, which ended his streak of eight straight games with at least 80 receiving yards. He still made an impact, though, and that showed up in his Pro Football Focus grade of 66.7.
The bigger issue for Ohio State was the overall efficiency of the offense, starting with the quarterbacks. Julian Sayin earned a 45.6 grade on 61 snaps, while Luke Fahey checked in at 41.0 over 10 snaps.
In the backfield, Isaiah West posted the strongest number among the running backs with a 74.0 across 14 snaps. Legend Bey graded at 62.0 on seven snaps, and Bo Jackson logged a 61.1 over 52 snaps.
Chris Henry Jr. was the highest-graded receiver in the group by a wide margin, finishing with an 89.2 on 11 snaps. Phillip Bell followed at 70.4 on six snaps.
Behind Smith, Devin McCuin came in at 62.0 over 52 snaps, while Jerquaden Guilford and David Adolph each landed at 60.0, though on just two and one snap respectively. Kyle Parker (56.3), Brandon Inniss (55.3) and Brock Boyd (50.3) rounded out the receiving grades.
At tight end, Maxence LeBlanc led the way with a 61.4 on 11 snaps. Mason Williams was close behind at 60.1 over 49 snaps, followed by Bennett Christian at 55.7 on five snaps and Nate Roberts at 50.1 on 51 snaps.
Up front, Luke Montgomery turned in the best offensive line grade at 76.3 over 71 snaps. Jake Cook was next at 70.6 on nine snaps. Phillip Daniels graded at 67.1 on 71 snaps, Carson Hinzman at 65.4 on 70 snaps, Joshua Padilla at 60.0 on one snap, Gabe VanSickle at 58.8 on 71 snaps and Ian Moore at 53.5 on 71 snaps.
In Other News...
Ohio State Suddenly Has A Quarterback Problem It Cant Ignore
Ohio State got the win it wanted against Indiana, but it came with a major concern as starting quarterback Julian Sayin went down with a right shoulder injury in the fourth quarter. Head coach Ryan Day said Sayin is expected to miss several weeks, leaving the Buckeyes to navigate a stretch without the player who had been steering the offense.
Luke Fahey, a true freshman, finished the game after Sayin exited, and Ohio State still managed to hold on for a 19-15 victory that snapped Indianas 22-game winning streak. The result will sit well in the standings, but the next question is far more pressing for the Buckeyes: how they adjust at quarterback while waiting for Sayin to heal. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana May Have Changed Ohio State's Entire Season
Ohio State's win over Indiana did more than hand the Buckeyes a hard-fought 19-15 victory and snap the Hoosiers' 22-game winning streak. It also came with a potential season-altering hit when starting quarterback Julian Sayin went down with a right arm injury in the fourth quarter, forcing Ohio State to keep the rest of the afternoon moving without the player who had been steering the offense.
Coach Ryan Day said Sayin is expected to be out for several weeks, leaving the Buckeyes to lean on backup Luke Fahey in a situation that immediately tested the depth chart. Fahey took over, but the offense had trouble advancing while he was on the field, which turned a statement win into a much bigger concern about how Ohio State will handle the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State's Huge Win May Have Come With A Serious Cost
Ohio States 19-15 win at Indiana was the kind of victory that can reshape a season, snapping the Hoosiers 22-game winning streak and ending a 19-game run at home. Julian Sayin provided the biggest offensive play of the day with a 38-yard touchdown pass that helped the Buckeyes get enough separation in a tight, tense game where every possession seemed to matter.
The concern afterward was less about the result and more about what it may have cost. Sayin appeared to injure his right arm during the game, leaving Ohio State to wonder how serious it is after a performance that had already become central to the outcome, while Indiana also had a chance to flip the script when Nick Marshs potential go-ahead touchdown was wiped out because he stepped out of bounds. [Read more 🡒]