Indiana has a chance to exorcise demons, silence the skeptics about a soft schedule and, by the way, likely book spots in the Big Ten championship game and the College Football Playoff.
All the No. 5 Hoosiers (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) have to do is defeat No. 2 Ohio State (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday.
“We’ve put ourselves in a position right now to be talked about quite a bit,” Indiana first-year coach Curt Cignetti said. “That’s nice. It doesn’t help us prepare, doesn’t help us play any better. But we’ve got some great opportunities ahead of us.”
The rankings for each team remained unchanged in the third CFP poll announced Tuesday, meaning the Buckeyes will play their third top-5 matchup of the season.
They were No. 2 when they lost at then-No. 3 Oregon 32-31 on Oct. 12. Ohio State was No. 4 for a 20-13 win at then-No. 3 Penn State on Nov. 2.
“Our guys are fired up for this one,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “They know that this is a must-win for us. We have to win this game to play in Indianapolis (in the Big Ten championship game). The team, the coaches, everybody in this building, the fans know what kind of game this is. We’ve got to bring it on Saturday.”
Indiana lucked out in the Big Ten scheduling by not having Penn State and Oregon on the slate, and the Hoosiers’ nonconference foes were Florida International, Western Illinois and Charlotte. The team’s biggest win was 20-15 over struggling Michigan on Nov. 9 ahead of a bye. Indiana ends the regular season against one-win Purdue.
“I think we have a confident team that believes and takes care of business,” Cignetti said. “They prep well. They’re detailed. They played fairly consistently to a standard, not circumstances of the game, and that’s what we preach.”
The Hoosiers are playing the schedule presented to them and doing it well behind Ohio University transfer Kurtis O’Rourke, who ranks second nationally in passing efficiency at 182.7 with 21 touchdown passes and just four interceptions. He is one spot ahead of Ohio State’s Will Howard (181.9, 24, 5).
Indiana has the nation’s top rushing defense at 72.2 yards allowed per game, having held opponents to less than 100 yards on the ground seven times. The Buckeyes are fourth in rush defense (90.7).
While Ohio State has the home-field advantage, the Hoosiers may benefit by having two weeks to prepare.
“It was good for everybody to catch a breather and get refreshed and recharged and gave us a little extra time on the next opponent,” Cignetti said.
Indiana will be the fourth opponent this season to have an off week before playing the Buckeyes. Ohio State players commented after a 31-7 win over Northwestern last week how the Wildcats presented schemes they had not seen on film.
That added preparation may have played into the Buckeyes’ continuing problems with slow starts. Northwestern’s first two series were an 11-play, 59-yard drive that resulted in a lost fumble at the Ohio State 16 and a 13-play, 85-yard touchdown march. The two drives resulted in a combined 12:26 of possession.
While Indiana has not beaten Ohio State since 1988 (0-30-1), Day said this Hoosiers team is different.
“I don’t think their players get enough credit,” he said. “The coaches have done a nice job. … But the players are the ones who play. They have good players. … It’s going to be a great challenge for us.”
–Field Level Media