Polishing Skills Against East’s Worst
After facing Northwestern, the Big Ten West’s bottom team, last week, the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes will clash with the East’s worst squad on Saturday. The Indiana Hoosiers (3-6, 1-5) will be upset-minded after seeing Ohio State (9-0, 6-0) stumble against Northwestern with a 21-7 win in wicked weather conditions.
The Buckeyes are hoping to regain their stride as Week 13’s titanic collision with No. 3 Michigan approaches. With an upset, Indiana could crush Ohio State’s title hopes. Unlike last week, will Ohio State coast to a win?
Let’s check the latest college football odds, stats, injury reports, and college football lines for Indiana vs Ohio State. We’ve plenty of NCAA football odds for you to consider.
Indiana Needs Its Starting QB
Since a season-opening 23-20 win over No. 21 Illinois, Indiana has not won another Big Ten game. The Hoosiers have lost six consecutive games. Four of six losses have been by two or more possessions.
Despite its recent success against Penn State, Indiana was blown out by the Nittany Lions last game, 45-14. Starting quarterback Connor Bazelak’s absence was a big loss. In his stead, backup QB Jack Tuttle struggled. He also went down with an injury, leading to third-string Dexter Wiliams II entering the game. Let’s get one thing straight. If the Hoosiers do not have their starting quarterback against Ohio State, they stand no chance.
The offense is pass-heavy, throwing the ball on 63.69% of plays (second). Indiana features a horrible run game, averaging two yards per carry (129th) and 58.6 rushing yards (130th). As usual, the Hoosiers could not run on Penn State. Ohio State has an exceptional run defense as well, which makes for a bad matchup. Bazelak must play on Saturday; his status is questionable.
Ohio State’s Concerns in the Trenches
Whirling winds reaching up to 50 MPH were a huge factor in Ohio State’s 21-7 win over Northwestern.
In this raging weather, a poor passing game can be overlooked. On the other hand, the run struggles are inexcusable. There is no reason the Buckeyes cannot simply manhandle a team like Northwestern on the line scrimmage. It was tough sledding on the ground for most of the game. In the second half, OSU started to find success. Quarterback C.J. Stroud’s legs were utilized as he finished with 79 rushing yards.
CJ Stroud. Noted burner. 44 yards 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/dhZIT3dgBa
— The Silver Bulletin (@tSilverBulletin) November 5, 2022
On defense, Ohio State also failed to stop the Wildcats’ run game. Eventually, that was put to an end. Simply put, the Buckeyes had their hands full on the line of scrimmage against a bad 1-8 team. A national title contender cannot do that, no matter the circumstances.
OSU was fortunate to keep its No. 2 ranking this week. If they have another bad game against Indiana, the Buckeyes will fall behind their rival Michigan.
The Buckeyes must display dominance on both lines of scrimmage this week. Ohio State looks soft right now. If that continues, losing to Michigan will be inevitable.
Indiana vs Ohio State Game Injuries
Indiana vs Ohio State Head-to-Head
Ohio State has won 26 consecutive games against Indiana. The Hoosiers gave the Buckeyes a run for their money in 2020, losing 42-35.
Indiana vs Ohio State Game Information
- Game: Indiana vs Ohio State
- Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
- Day/Time: Saturday, Nov. 12, 12 p.m. ET
- Indiana vs Ohio State Live Stream: ESPN
Indiana vs Ohio State Betting Lines
Indiana vs Ohio State Picks & Prediction
Bad weather is a real thing in the Big Ten. Many teams hope for ugly weather against Ohio State’s explosive passing attack. Unfortunately for Indiana, Columbus’ weather on Saturday will be decent.
The Buckeyes will be eager to air the ball out once again. Plus, there will be a focus on running the rock. Indiana ranks 83rd in allowed rushing yards per game and 108th in allowed passing yards per game. Ohio State will roll with a lopsided win, covering a massive spread.
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Indiana vs Ohio State Edge
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Indiana vs Ohio State Game Summary
