Ohio State notched one of its biggest wins of the season on Saturday, beating No. 5 Indiana 19-15 in a dramatic Big Ten matchup.
The fourth-ranked Buckeyes came into this game looking to avenge last season’s loss to the Hoosiers in the Big Ten Championship Game, and that’s exactly what they did.
The win improved Ohio State’s record to 6-1, handed Indiana its first loss of the season and ended the program’s 22-game winning streak.
Both defenses were dominant for much of the afternoon, making every scoring opportunity count.
Ohio State opened the game with a field goal, then Indiana took a 7-3 lead in the second quarter on Turbo Richard’s 7-yard touchdown run. However, quarterback Julian Saine responded before halftime.
Facing fourth down, Saine connected with running back Bo Jackson for a 2-yard touchdown with 7 seconds left in the game, giving the Buckeyes a 10-7 lead.
Ohio State extended its lead to 13-7 in the third quarter and then made its biggest offensive play early in the fourth quarter. Sayin found star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith for a 38-yard touchdown to give the Buckeyes a 19-7 lead after a failed two-point conversion.
Indiana refused to leave.
Quarterback Josh Hoover connected with Nick Marsh for a 19-yard touchdown and then completed a two-point conversion to Richard to cut Ohio State’s lead to four points.
The Buckeyes then suffered a major setback when Sain exited the game with an apparent upper-body injury. With freshman quarterback Luke Fahey taking his place, Ohio State relied heavily on its defense to protect the lead.
Indiana has one last chance to complete a comeback.
Hoover got the Indians into scoring position, but his fourth-down pass into the end zone fell incomplete as the receiver couldn’t catch the ball in bounds.
The defensive stance resulted in a big win for Ryan Day’s program.
The result also has extra significance after Indiana defeated Ohio State 13-10 in the conference championship game last year to win the national title.
Saturday’s win not only strengthens Ohio State’s standing in the Big Ten Conference.
It gave the Buckeyes a signature win over a top-five opponent and solidified their status as a national title contender.
Indiana’s winning streak may be over, but despite the setback, the Hoosiers remain firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation.
For Ohio State, the 19-15 win meant more than just improving its record. The Buckeyes come into Bloomington with something to prove to a team that has beaten them before.
This time, Ohio State made sure the outcome was different.