The eyes of the college football world will be locked on Columbus this Saturday as #4 Indiana rolls into Ohio Stadium for a titanic tussle with #2 Ohio State. ESPN’s iconic College GameDay crew will be on hand to capture all the pageantry and passion of this marquee Big Ten matchup.
Hoosiers Riding High
Indiana enters the contest at a perfect 11-0, already securing the program’s first trip to the Big Ten Championship Game. Led by Heisman candidate quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the high-octane Hoosier offense is averaging a staggering 45 points per game. But they’ve yet to face a defense as stout as the Buckeyes.
We know Ohio State is the gold standard, but we’re not backing down from anybody. This team believes we can play with anyone in the country.
Indiana head coach Tom Allen
Buckeyes On A Mission
Meanwhile, Ohio State is on a revenge tour after a upset loss to Iowa derailed their playoff hopes last season. Quarterback C.J. Stroud has been surgical, tossing 38 touchdowns against just 3 interceptions. His top target, wideout Marvin Harrison Jr., needs just 102 yards to break the single-season Big Ten receiving record.
- Ohio State leads the nation in scoring offense at 51.4 ppg
- The Buckeyes have won 29 straight over Indiana, last losing in 1988
- Ohio State is 16-2 as a top-2 ranked team hosting GameDay
The Game will always be the biggest one on our schedule, but this is 1A. To get where we want to go, you have to beat teams like Indiana. Our guys will be ready.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day
Playoff Implications Abound
Both teams harbor College Football Playoff aspirations, and Saturday’s result will go a long way in determining if those dreams become reality. The winner takes pole position for a top-4 ranking heading into conference championship weekend. The loser likely finds themselves on the outside looking in.
| Team | Record | CFP Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 11-0 | #2 |
| Indiana | 11-0 | #4 |
The Buckeyes are installed as 14-point home favorites, a testament to their dominance in the Horseshoe. However, the Hoosiers have made a living off proving doubters wrong all season long. If they can find a way to slow down Stroud and carve up an Ohio State secondary that looked vulnerable against Maryland, a paradigm-shifting upset is within reach.
Regardless of the outcome, Saturday’s clash is appointment viewing for any college football aficionado. With GameDay on site and a raucous crowd expected, an instant classic could be in the offing. The Indiana-Ohio State winner puts themselves on the doorstep of immortality, while the loser is left pondering what might have been. It all kicks off at noon on Fox, as the eyes of a nation descend upon Columbus for a game dripping with postseason implications.
