I don’t care what they tell you. Nobody in the world except maybe Indiana coach Curt Cignetti looked at the schedule before the season started and said, “This will be one of the biggest games in the Big Ten this year.” But it is. No. 2 Ohio State hosts No. 5 Indiana in a Big Ten elimination game.
The winner will be one win away from clinching a spot in Indianapolis, Indiana to face the Ducks. The loser will need a lot more help and have to rely on the College Football Playoff selection committee still thinking it’s pretty enough to be invited to the dance.
The situation isn’t new for Ohio State, as the Buckeyes always expect to compete for Big Ten and national titles, but Indiana? This is very much out of the ordinary for the Hoosiers, as they’ve usually turned their eyes toward basketball season before mid-November. It’s a monumental matchup, and one that will answer a lot of questions for both programs.
Ohio State vs. Indiana: Need to know
It’s the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense against the No. 2 scoring offense: Ohio State has allowed only 10.3 points per game this season, which is the best mark in the nation. Indiana is scoring 43.9 points per game, which trails only Miami’s 45.0 points per game. What’s crazier is that Ohio State’s allowing only 7.3 points per game at home. While you may believe Indiana’s offense isn’t as good away from home, the numbers disagree. Indiana’s average of 43.9 points per game drops only to 43.3 on the road, so its a team whose offense travels.
This is Ohio State’s third game against a top-5 team this year: It’s the most times its happened in a single-season for the Buckeyes, who have seen mixed results in the first two contests. The first game was Ohio State’s 32-31 loss at No. 3 Oregon. The second was the Buckeyes’ 20-13 win over No. 3 Penn State. This one will serve as a rubber match of sorts.
Indiana has the best PPG margin in the country: We’ve mentioned that Indiana scores more than nearly everybody, but they aren’t a one-dimensional team. The defense has been just as impressive, which is why the Hoosiers have a points per game margin of +30.1 this year. Ohio State isn’t far behind, ranked third at +27.5 points per game. These are two teams who win a lot, and don’t play a lot of close games.
How to watch Ohio State vs. Indiana live
Date: Saturday, November 23 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Ohio Stadium — Columbus, Ohio
TV: Fox | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Ohio State vs. Indiana prediction, picks
I have concerns about both sides here. Ohio State is banged up on the offensive line and lost starting center Seth McLaughlin to a torn Achilles in practice this week. It’s fair to wonder how well a MASH unit of an offensive line will perform against the Hoosiers. At the same time, Indiana’s worst offensive performance of the season came in their last game against Michigan, which was also the best defense they’ve faced all year. This Ohio State defense is better than Michigan, so it’s also fair to wonder how successful the Hoosiers offense will be. Put those two together and the under feels like the best play on sports betting apps. Pick: Under 51.5
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