Last week, Indiana Hoosiers Football Vs Ohio State Buckeyes Football delivered one of the biggest storylines of the college football season as Indiana ended Ohio State’s 30-game winning streak, the longest active streak in major college football. Despite the historic achievement, few expressed excitement or joy about Indiana’s remarkable accomplishment.
Bryant Haines will likely use deceptive coverages and unpredictable blitzes from unexpected spots to make Sayin uncomfortable and force uncharacteristic errors from him. His aim will be to force uncharacteristic mistakes.
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| QB | Fernando Mendoza |
| QB | Alberto Mendoza |
| RB | Roman Hemby |
| RB | Kaelon Black |
| WR | Elijah Sarratt |
| WR | Omar Cooper Jr. |
| WR | E.J. Williams Jr. |
| WR | Tyler Morris |
| TE | Zach Horton |
| TE | Sam West |
| OL | Carter Smith |
| OL | Pat Coogan |
| OL | Drew Evans |
| DL | Mikail Kamara |
| DL | Tyrique Tucker |
| LB | Aiden Fisher |
| LB | Jailin Walker |
| CB | D’Angelo Ponds |
| S | Amare Ferrell |
| K | Nicolas Radicic |
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| QB | Julian Sayin |
| QB | Lincoln Kienholz |
| RB | James Peoples |
| RB | C.J. Donaldson Jr. |
| WR | Jeremiah Smith |
| WR | Carnell Tate |
| WR | Brandon Inniss |
| WR | Mylan Graham |
| TE | Max Klare |
| TE | Bennett Christian |
| OL | Ethan Onianwa |
| OL | Tegra Tshabola |
| OL | Carson Hinzman |
| DE | Caden Curry |
| DE | Kenyatta Jackson Jr. |
| LB | Sonny Styles |
| LB | Arvell Reese |
| CB | Davison Igbinosun |
| S | Caleb Downs |
| K | Jayden Fielding |
| Date | Venue | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 6, 2025 | Indianapolis (Big Ten Championship) | Indiana | 13–10 |
| Nov. 23, 2024 | Columbus | Ohio State | 38–15 |
| Sept. 2, 2023 | Bloomington | Ohio State | 23–3 |
| Nov. 12, 2022 | Columbus | Ohio State | 56–14 |
| Oct. 23, 2021 | Bloomington | Ohio State | 54–7 |
| Nov. 21, 2020 | Columbus | Ohio State | 42–35 |
| Sept. 14, 2019 | Bloomington | Ohio State | 51–10 |
| Oct. 6, 2018 | Columbus | Ohio State | 49–26 |
| Aug. 31, 2017 | Bloomington | Ohio State | 49–21 |
| Oct. 8, 2016 | Columbus | Ohio State | 38–17 |
Offense
Ohio State will try to win its eighth straight Big Ten Championship and fifth straight meeting against Indiana in Indianapolis at this 99th meeting, having recently defeated both teams 59-52 with both squads being ranked No. 4.
Ohio State won all five meetings between them over that time, including an impressive victory last season which finished both teams at No. 4.
Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza has quickly established himself as one of the nation’s premier passers since making the switch from Cal, throwing for 32 touchdowns with no interceptions to rank fourth nationally and first in Big Ten play this season – ranking him fourth overall and first within their conference.
But that will be tested against an Ohio State defense which ranks second overall for total yards allowed, second for pass defense, and leads in terms of total and rush sacks in conference.
Ohio State must gain pressure on Mendoza and interrupt his pre-snap reads with an aggressive front. Led by All-Big Ten defensive lineman Kayden McDonald and senior end Caden Curry, their defenders have shown they can physically pursue opposing ball carriers while being adept at disguising coverages to pick apart Indiana’s zone defense, which allows over 100 rushing yards per game.
While Indiana Hoosiers have a lackluster running game, their receiving corps is anything but. Junior wide receivers Omar Cooper and Elijah Sarratt excel in catching almost any type of pass; both possess outstanding breaking capabilities which allow them to break tackles while making defenders miss in open field situations – their combination of speed and size make them hard for any defense to cover effectively.
Ohio State will need to capitalize on an unexpected slow start by Indiana to win, while avoiding an early deficit from snowballing like they did in 2021 when they fell behind 17-6 and never recovered. To do this, their offensive line must provide protection for Ohio State’s top-ranked quarterback while simultaneously making sure Sayin can locate open receivers.
Defense
Ohio State won its second Big Ten title since 2015 behind its defense, and this will be its most challenging test to date against an Indiana team with one of the nation’s best rushing attacks – Indiana has given up over 200 passing yards only once this season against Illinois – late in the fourth quarter when already trailing.
Ohio State must keep pace with an RPO-heavy Indiana attack led by Heisman Trophy candidate Fernando Mendoza and featuring wide receivers Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr.
This defensive unit may struggle versus this RPO-heavy attack as opposed to Illinois team which has limited passing yards given up this season compared with Illinois opponent Illinois team with which was already trailing significantly late in fourth quarter before giving up over 200 passing yards this season against Illinois team which already trailed much earlier.
Indiana Hoosiers rushing defense ranks among the best in college football, giving up just 79 yards per game to opponents, while their secondary has been nearly impregnable against teams who prefer airing it out. Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds stands out as an elite defensive back who helps propel Indiana to second nationally in pass defense – not easily fooled on simple routes by opponents like D.J. Foster.
Indiana leads all schools nationwide in pass breakups at 16 with D’Angelo Ponds leading all college players despite being undermanned defensively when facing teams that try airing it out against Indiana.
Kayden McDonald (Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year), Isaiah Jones (12 Tackles for Loss), and Rolijah Hardy provide Indiana with the ability to apply pressure from within by playing screens outside, moving laterally and tipping passes at the line of scrimmage.
Hoosiers’ pass rush can force turnovers with its relentless approach, but must balance its efforts with some consistency at the point of attack against an Ohio State team with Mike Weber as a dangerous running back and an aggressive offensive line. Indiana can limit big plays while forcing Ohio State into shorter drives for greater chances of victory before heading into their playoff run.
Special Teams
Special teams coordinator Grant Cain keeps a whiteboard in his office that displays Indiana’s special team production leaderboard, where players earn points each week by blocking punts, recovering fumbles or running through the back of the end zone on touchbacks – but one thing is obvious from looking at the board: Indiana has one of the finest special teams units in college football.
That can be seen through their numbers: They rank second nationally with 483.8 total yards per game average and boast a top-10 defense that allows only 38.6 yards on the ground per game while offering top-15 pass defense (allowing 178.1). Contributors range from veteran holder Isaiah Jones, first-year punter/holder Mitch McCarthy and D’Angelo Ponders as players who all make contributions towards success for this team.
Hoosier team’s dynamic approach extends to all areas, including third-down efficiency. Indiana ranks among the best teams nationally on this front, converting 56.3% of third-down attempts while only allowing 27.3%.
Hoosier speed and agility helped them find success against Miami on special teams. While the Hurricanes attempted a 4th & 1 punt deep inside their own territory on 4th & 1, Dylan Joyce’s kick was deflected away from linebacker Mikail Kamara who then ran it in for a special teams touchdown – an impressive display by Indiana.
Cignetti has made hustle a priority this season. Each day has specific responsibilities and routines akin to how a golfer might prepare for tournament by following pre-shot routines, setting Indiana apart from most teams across the nation.
Ohio State will pose an enormous test to the Hoosiers, who proved in the Big Ten Championship game that they will not back down from taking on anyone and will enter this playoff matchup as potential national contenders.
Lineups
As time ticked down on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indiana receiver Elijah Sarratt made an audacious gesture reminiscent of their tridents to celebrate winning their inaugural Big Ten Championship and take top position nationally in rankings. Sarratt’s joyous celebration brought life and energy back into the north endzone as Indiana secured its spot atop national rankings for years to come.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza made several eye-popping plays to earn Heisman Trophy consideration, including connecting with sophomore wideout Charlie Becker for a 51-yard gain on Indiana’s third and 2 drive of its final possession, thus extending their drive and draining Ohio State’s final timeout.
Mendoza displayed amazing poise throughout his incredible season. While not being one of the more prolific passers in terms of total yardage or touchdowns, he consistently delivered in crucial moments, especially against one of the nation’s top defenses in the title game against Florida State University.
Voters were eager to see whether Mendoza had done enough to earn this prestigious award. His performances throughout the year also added even more excitement to the Indiana Hoosiers Football Vs Ohio State Buckeyes Football rivalry, as fans closely followed his leadership and ability to perform under pressure in one of college football’s biggest matchups.
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