Ohio State junior quarterback Justin Fields (1) rushes the football down the field against Indiana Nov. 21. Credit: Christian Harsa | Assistant Photo Editor
Ohio State got its first top-10 win Saturday, but its play on the field left much to be desired.
The Buckeyes jumped out to a hot start, forcing Indiana into a quick punt on its opening drive and scoring on a two-play drive capped off by a touchdown pass from junior quarterback Justin Fields to sophomore wide receiver Garrett Wilson.
However following that opening drive, Fields’ next three throws would result in two interceptions and an incompletion, allowing the Hoosiers to stick around in the opening half. Although the game would get as narrow as seven points late in the fourth quarter, Ohio State (4-0) would ultimately win the game 42-35 against Indiana (4-1).
“Really excited to be 4-0,” head coach Ryan Day said Saturday. “Coming off the bye week there and just looking back on everything we’ve been through the last few months, to be 4-0, be first place in the Big Ten East, big, big deal. Couldn’t be prouder of this team.”
Fields went on to finish the game 18-for-30 for 300 yards with 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
Wilson and junior wide receiver Chris Olave continued their stellar play with both reaching the 100-yard mark again. Wilson has reached the century-mark in every game this season, while this is Olave’s third game over 100 yards.
Wilson hauled in seven receptions for 169 yards and two scores, while Olave added 101 yards on eight receptions.
On the ground, redshirt sophomore running back Master Teague III had a career day, finishing the game with a career-high in yards and touchdowns.
Teague finished with 169 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns for his second multi-touchdown performance of the season.
Graduate running back Trey Sermon also turned a solid performance, adding 60 yards on nine carries.
The Ohio State defense would give the Hoosiers no room to operate on the ground in the first half — holding the Hoosiers to -6 rushing yards. Indiana would finish with -1 rushing yards.
Indiana would find some offensive life with big plays through the air. Michael Penix Jr. would connect on four passes of more than 50 yards.
Three of the Hoosiers’ scoring drives would include an explosive passing play, but the other large gain was diminished by a fumble recovered by graduate linebacker Baron Browning on the next play.
The Hoosiers would punish the Buckeyes through the air converting on a total of 10 plays of 15 or more yards.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Michael Penix Jr. would finish the game completing 52.9 percent of his passes for 491 yards and five touchdowns.
Senior wide receiver Ty Fryfogle hauled in 218 yards and three touchdowns.
The lone bright spot in Ohio State’s pass defense came late in the third quarter when redshirt junior cornerback Shaun Wade was able to jump a pass and return it for a touchdown to extend Ohio State’s lead to three possessions.
Ohio State saw its 35-7 lead dwindle to a single touchdown by the game’s conclusion.
“It’s not even just the secondary, it’s the whole defense and the whole offense,” Wade said Saturday. “I feel like in the second half, I don’t know what it is, but we have to figure it out, especially in big games with competition just like we played right now. We can’t be giving up points like that in the second half and not scoring in the second half.”
Ohio State will hit the road for a two-game road trip starting with Illinois Saturday.
This story was updated Nov. 21 at 4:57 p.m. with quotes from Shaun Wade and Ryan Day.
