College Football Game of the Week: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Indiana

There will be a Big Ten duel at noon on Saturday this weekend as the No. 5 Indiana travels to The Shoe in Columbus, Ohio to take on the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes. As expected, Ohio State has dominated the all-time series between the two teams 79-12-5.

The Buckeyes look to extend their winning streak over the Hoosiers to 29 straight. Their last match-up, in 2023, was one of the closer games, but the Buckeyes emerged victorious 23-3.

The Hoosiers are coming into this game well-rested from a bye week. Before last week, their schedule had been one of the easiest schedules of any, but they found a 10-0 record, which is an accomplishment no matter what teams they faced.

What sets these teams apart this season is their schedules up to this point. The Buckeyes have lost a game this season, but that was a one-point loss to a team that is now top-ranked in the country, the Oregon Ducks. Ohio State got a huge win against a No. 3 Penn State team in the hostile environment that is Beaver Stadium this year.

The Hoosiers’ quarterback, Kurtis Rourke, is opening eyes this season, passing for 2410 yards this season so far. Rourke isn’t a household name, but the Ohio Bobcats transfer was no joke in 2022, passing for 3256 yards. He has proved himself as a solid QB at the Division I level and is to be taken seriously as he competes for a contending team.

The Buckeyes’ QB, Will Howard, established himself as a household name in his previous years playing for the Kansas St. Wildcats, and being instrumental in reviving their football program. Howard is enjoying playing for a top team this year, as he is getting more help from his supporting cast, and is passing for 2484 yards on the season that isn’t over yet.

To complement their passing game, the Buckeyes have a running back room that can run all over a team if they’re not careful. Quinshon Judkins, the transfer from Ole Miss, has run for 723 yards this season and is leading his team in doing such.

If you’re the Hoosiers, don’t spend all your time watching film on Judkins because the Buckeyes have another RB who is almost just as good. Treveyon Henderson has run for 662 yards this year.

A RB tandem amounting to well over 1300 rushing yards at this point in the season, against good defenses is very impressive. Not Lamar Jackson by any means, but Howard isn’t Tom Brady at the QB position as he has a modest 122 rushing yards to put to his name this season.

When looking at the Hoosiers, it’s not so much about individual players. It’s about the team as a whole. They just find ways to win games, which will work in their favor this week because they’re coming in fresh off a bye week.

If there is one player from the Hoosiers that you should have your eye on, it’s Mikail Kamara of the defensive line. He’s been a QB’s nightmare this year, racking up 9.5, already eclipsing his total last year of 7.5.

It’ll be a big one on Big Noon Kickoff on FOX on Saturday. The Shoe will be rocking for this top-five match-up against the Indiana Hoosiers and the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Chase Yingling is a third-year student majoring in digital/print journalism. To contact him, email cey5100@psu.edu.