The Indiana Cinderella run has been fun to watch. However, it felt like the bill was to come due at some point. In Ohio State’s third top-five matchup of the year, the Buckeyes stepped up and dominated their way to a 38-15 win. All eyes were on the Buckeyes and Hoosiers with Indiana having a shot to clinch a spot against Oregon in the Big Ten Championship. Ohio State was playing to keep its Big Ten title hopes alive as it will have to beat Michigan next week to clinch.
The score might be closer than the game actually was as Indiana scored on its first and final full drives of the day. On those two scoring drives, Indiana had 147 yards. On the seven other possessions, Indiana managed just 28 yards of offense (26 if you count the kneel-down at the end of the first half).
The Hoosiers came into Ohio Stadium looking to continue its Cinderella run. The clock struck midnight.
Ohio State Turns Indiana’s Cinderella Season Into a Pumpkin
Makeshift Offensive Line Steps Up
On the whole, losing Seth McLaughlin to a season-ending injury was always going to hurt. He was playing like one of the best centers in the Big Ten and became a vocal leader on the offensive line. Early on, his absence was felt in the run game. Ohio State only amassed 22 yards off 14 carries in the first half. It was tough sledding against the Indiana front early but eventually, Ohio State got it going.
In the second half, the Buckeyes totaled 93 yards off 16 carries. TreVeyon Henderson led the way with 68 yards and a touchdown off just nine carries. In the fourth, he broke off a 39-yard run and slid short of the goal line just to preserve the win.
Perhaps the most impressive part of it all, and the point that will make the rest of the games that much more interesting, is the fact that the Hoosiers did not sack Will Howard once. Heading into this game, Indiana had sacked opposing quarterbacks 31 times. Howard did deal with a few pressures but Indiana was unable to seal the deal and bring him down. The trio of strong defensive linemen who have devastated offenses all year managed a combined nine tackles and one tackle for loss.
Was the unit perfect? No, but its performance today gives some hope moving forward. How much of the success was due to Indiana’s unit playing against less-than-stellar competition? Time will tell. Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, and Josaiah Stewart come to town next week and they are on their way to the NFL.
Department of Buckeye Efficiency
The Indiana defense was stout for the first 10 games of this season. In those 10 games, the Hoosiers allowed just 183.3 passing yards per game (21st in FBS), 72.2 rushing yards (best in FBS), and 255.5 total offensive yards per game (third in FBS). Ohio State easily topped each category.
Howard was great once again. This time, he completed 22 of 26 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns. He did throw one interception but it was off the hands of his tight end. His other incomplete pass was a slight overthrow two plays earlier to Jeremiah Smith who still nearly made the play in the endzone. His 80%+ completion percentage is both a single-season and career record for Ohio State quarterbacks.
Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate stepped up for the offense. Egbuka led the way with 80 yards and a touchdown off seven receptions. The senior receiver moved up to fifth all-time in Ohio State history in receiving yards and is 197 yards away from the record. He also moved up to second all-time in receptions and is 22 away.
The Ohio State offense deserves just as much credit as the defense for ending the Indiana Cinderella season. After going three-and-out on the first drive and turning it over on downs, the Buckeyes scored on five of their final six drives.
Moving forward, the focus is now on Michigan. Heading into this week, the Wolverines have allowed 232.8 passing yards (89th in FBS), 102.4 rushing yards (12th in FBS), and 335.2 total yards per game (37th in FBS). Of course, this is The Game. All stats go out the window. However, that disparity cannot be understated.
Party at the Quarterback
The Ohio State pass rush has been a much-discussed issue. The top-end edge rushers, Jaylahn Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer have not lived up to their billing to this point. However, against Indiana, the pass rush was dominant.
The duo combined nine tackles, two-and-a-half sacks, and two-and-a-half tackles for loss. The defensive star of the game was Block O recipient and captain, Cody Simon. The senior leader led the way with 10 tackles for the third time in four games. His presence as a pass rusher was felt to the tune of two-and-a-half sacks.
Ohio Stadium heard the call from Ryan Day and turned it up. The defense fed off it. Indiana had to change its game plan to a silent count and it completely threw off the offense. Kurtis Rourke, a quarterback who was averaging 267.8 yards per game through the air, looked lost. The Silver Bullets held him to 68 yards off just eight for eighteen passing. Those 68 yards were the fewest from Rourke since October 21, 2021. At that point in his career, he wasn’t the full-time quarterback for the Ohio Bobcats.
Caleb Downs reminded the college football world just how dynamic he is. As a defender, his stats are not what they were at Alabama. However, he hasn’t had to lead his team in tackles as he did with the Crimson Tide. However, after forcing Indiana off the field at the beginning of the second half, he returned the ensuing punt 74 yards for a touchdown. It was the first punt return touchdown for the Buckeyes since Jalin Marshall in 2014, also against Indiana.
Start Crossing Out Those “Ms”
It’s a tradition on campus to put red tape over every “M” on any and all signs. Now that the clock has hit 00:00 and the victory bell’s ring has ended, it’s time to turn attention to That Team Up North.
Michigan is 5-5 heading into its game with Northwestern. To say it’s a far cry from what it has been over the last three years – advanced scouting or not – is an understatement.
However, it’s still The Game. Throw the records out. Worse Michigan teams have derailed Better Ohio State teams. The Wolverines have NFL players on its roster and will be coming to play, ready to spoil what could be a special season for the Buckeyes.
Now, the real season starts.
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