No. 2 Ohio State (9-0) returns to Columbus Saturday for a matchup against Indiana (3-6). Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
Confidence is high for the Buckeyes entering Week 11.
No. 2 Ohio State (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) returns to Ohio Stadium to contest Indiana Saturday. Remaining No. 2 in the second College Football Playoff rankings, the Buckeyes come off a 21-7 win in inclement weather at Northwestern, emerging victorious in two-consecutive road games in which they were challenged all four quarters.
“I think our guys are very confident right now,” head coach Ryan Day said. “Is everything perfect? No, it never is. It’s a journey. It’s a process. You’re constantly challenging guys to get better in certain areas. But, you’re seeing a lot of great things out there.”
Saturday presents Indiana (3-6, 1-5 Big Ten), which embarks to the ‘Shoe for the first time since nearly upsetting Ohio State in a 42-35 game in Columbus during the 2020 season. Head coach Tom Allen remains at the helm for his sixth season with the Hoosiers, but the ballclub will meet the Buckeyes on a six-game losing skid.
Hoosiers redshirt junior quarterback Connor Bazelak is set to return from injury, while Indiana has seen four different players complete a pass this season. Bazelak leads Indiana with 2,099 passing yards and 12 of the team’s 13 touchdowns through the air.
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said “preparation is the same” when planning for an opposing team that employs more than one quarterback, which could happen if the Hoosiers trot out redshirt senior Jack Tuttle or redshirt sophomore Dexter Williams II.
“They’re pretty similar,” Knowles said. “I think your preparation is the same. Unless there’s really a drastic change in what they do from one quarterback to the next, you try to keep it as similar as possible between the two different guys.”
Indiana is at the bottom of the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing 32.2 points per game, and its scoring offense averages 23.3 points per outing, which is No. 11 in the conference.
Fourth-year safety Ronnie Hickman said he’s noticed Indiana’s tendencies to run “wide splits” and “throw to the boundary a lot,” so depending on whoever is under center, he thinks Ohio State will be ready.
“It’s not overly complicated, but they do what they do well, and we just got to be on our cues and be ready for whatever they bring,” Hickman said.
The Buckeyes relied on the ground game to stick it out at Northwestern. Third-year running back Miyan Williams rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns while Ohio State ran for 207 yards as a team.
Second-year punter Jesse Mirco and Ohio State’s special teams found ways to manage strong winds and sporadic rain at Ryan Field. Mirco, whose seven punts were a season high, said his background in Australian-rules football prepared him for the adverse weather.
“I feel like I got kind of the most I could have out of the situation,” Mirco said. “I like to kick the ball a bit lower, kind of like, puncture a bit through the wind. I didn’t really have any other option, but that worked out.”
Ohio State and third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for a season-low 76 yards against the Wildcats. Stroud did flash the ability to create opportunities with his legs by rushing for a career-high 79 yards, including a 44-yard run setting up Williams’ second touchdown.
Stroud said he’s “looking forward” to playing against Indiana, when he thinks Ohio State will return to its familiar offensive balance both throwing and running the football.
“I think this is a week for us to kind of get our groove back throwing the ball,” Stroud said. “Even affecting the run game some more, trying to just clean some reads up to where we can make it more clean, get some more yards, be better on first and second and then, of course, we got to be better on third down.”
Ohio State is just over two weeks from its rivalry meeting with No. 3 Michigan Nov. 26, which will contest the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium for the first time since 2018.
Day said the Buckeyes can’t look past their next opponent, as Indiana is a “program with a lot of pride,” and he expects a challenge.
“They’re going to come in here, fight and play really, really hard,” Day said. “We got to come out and play a little better early on in the game. I think that’s going to be important, and that’ll be a focus this week.”
Kickoff between Ohio State and Indiana is set for Saturday at noon. FOX will broadcast.
