Hoosiers Now

LIVE BLOG: Follow As No. 5 Indiana Has Showdown With No. 2 Ohio State

It's the biggest game of the season for Indiana football as the Hoosiers play their toughest opponent yet in Ohio State.

Todd Golden

Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. celebrates his touchdown with teammates in the first quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Memorial Stadium.
Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. celebrates his touchdown with teammates in the first quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Memorial Stadium. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
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Hello everyone! Welcome to the live blog for the biggest game of the season for No. 5 Indiana as it takes on No. 2 Ohio State.

It seems like the entire season has been pointing at this game. It's a game that can make or could break Indiana's playoff aspirations. A win would almost certainly put the Hoosiers in Indianapolis for the Big Ten championship game on Dec. 7.

Indiana is 9-50-4 all-time in Columbus. Now would be a good time for the Hoosiers to break into double-digit wins.

• FINAL STATS: Total offense: Ohio State 316, Indiana 151. First downs: Ohio State 16, Indiana 14.

Indiana averaged 2.6 yards per play to Ohio State's 5.7.

Indiana was 6 of 14 on third down, but were 1 of 8 on third down in the second and third quarters when the game was decided.

Indiana QB Kurtis Rourke had a rough day. He was under constant pressure after the first series and was sacked five times. Rourke completed 8 of 18 passes for 68 yards. Ohio State QB Will Howard completed 22 of 26 passes for 201 yards and 2 TD.

Ty Son Lawton rushed for 79 yards and 2 TD. Justice Ellison rushed for 62 yards. Indiana lost 58 rushing yards in sacks and the bobbled punt by James Evans.

Ohio State shut down Indiana's receivers. Elijah Sarratt had 3 catches for 40 yards. Only four Hoosiers caught passes. Ohio State WR Emeka Egbuka had 7 catches for 80 yards and a TD. Carnell Tate had 4 catches for 68 yards.

Ohio State LB Cody Simon had 2.5 sacks. DE Jack Sawyer had 1.5 sacks.

• Ohio State QB Will Howard turns the "Google me" thing on its head.

• Ryan Day: I'll let you watch and form your own opinion.


I'm sure Ohio State was feeling unsafe with a 16-point lead on its goal line with 20 seconds left and Indiana throwing the white flag by not calling timeouts. I hate it when coaches say things like Day said above. Just come out and say you wanted to run it up. It's not classy, but at least it's honest.

• FINAL - Ohio State 38, Indiana 15. Indiana's unbeaten run is over. Ohio State defense was dominant. Indiana special teams failures were critical. Hey, Indiana is 10-1. Today is disappointing, but anyone who follows Indiana would have been doing cartwheels if you'd have told them in August the Hoosiers would be in this spot.

• Ohio State 38-15, :35 4Q. It should have been a TD on the Henderson run. Unfortunately for Indiana, it pushed the margin back up to 23 points. FOX replay shows Howard "putting out a cigarette" on the sideline. That is definitely not going to go well on the Indiana sideline or anywhere else that supports the Hoosiers either.

• Touchdown Ohio State. Looked like Indiana was going to let Ohio State run down the clock by not taking a timeout, but Ohio State QB Will Howard took it into the end zone anyway for a 1-yard TD run. That is not going to go over well on the Indiana sideline.

• Ohio State 31-15, 111 4Q. Buckeyes should have had another touchdown, but TreVeyon Henderson slides just ahead of the goal line to extend the game. Smart play from Ohio State's standpoint, though all of this is largely academic at this point.

• Ohio State 31-15, 153 4Q. Good drive by the Hoosiers to make it look better. Omar Cooper Jr. caught a two-point conversion pass to slice down the margin a bit more.

There will be some who defend this score based on the special teams problems. I understand it, but I think anyone who watched this game with an unbiased eye would also give a demerit to Indiana's offense. The first series was great and its good to score a TD late, but everything in-between was pretty rough. Committee has to weigh that too.

• Touchdown Indiana. Ty Son Lawton scores from 2 yards out.

• Ohio State 31-7, 200 2Q. Indiana should be able to punch in a consolation score of some sort after the two-minute warning. Better than nothing, but this loss is going to sting.

Ohio State 31-7, 400 4Q. FOX crew making a case that this game would be closer if not for the punt issues. No doubt, but Indiana's offense has been manhandled from the point of their second series onward. Indiana hasn't given itself a chance to produce yardage and points to make up for the special teams problems.

• Ohio State 31-7, 856 4Q. Hoosiers force a 41-yard field goal by Jayden Fielding. Hoosiers need big things to happen now ... like a kick return. The game is almost certainly lost, but that margin of defeat needs to come down.

• Ohio State 28-7, 1050 4Q. Indiana forced Ohio State into 4th-and-1 from midfield. Buckeyes go for it and Emeka Egbuka beats Jamier Johnson in single coverage for a 25-yard gain.

Ohio State 28-7, 1447 4Q. Ohio State takes over at its own 30 after an Indiana punt. Indiana's second half offensive stats are rough. Hoosiers are 0-for-6 passing the ball. Hoosiers have 36 total yards in the second half.

End 3rd quarter - Ohio State 28, Indiana 7. Ohio State defense has been dominant as Indiana cannot muster a passing game under the kosh of Ohio State's pass rush. Buckeyes have five sacks.

• Ohio State 28-7, :30 3Q. Buckeyes' pressure is withering. Two sacks for the Buckeyes on Indiana's offensive series. Indiana only has 89 yards of total offense.

• Ohio State 28-7, 202 3Q. Cignetti's bet on the defense pays off as the Hoosiers force a three-and-out. D'Angelo Ponds broke up a third down pass attempt. Hoosiers take over at their own 41.

• Ohio State 28-7, 334 3Q. Somewhat surprisingly, Curt Cignetti elects to punt. Ohio State takes over at their own 9. Cignetti betting on his defense to get the job done.

• Ohio State 28-7, 342 3Q. A couple of good runs by Ty Son Lawton - 12 and 21 yards - got the Hoosiers into Ohio State territory, but now they face 4th-and-11 at the Ohio State 43-yard line. Down three possessions, you have to believe the Hoosiers will go for it. They lined up that way before calling a timeout.

• Ohio State 28-7, 602 3Q. Looking bleak for the Hoosiers. Defense has been on the field for most of the second half and looked it on that Ohio State. Indiana's offense has done very little since its game-opening scoring series. That obviously needs to change.

• Touchdown Ohio State. Jelani Thurman with a 1-yard touchdown catch out of the I-formation.

• Ohio State 21-7, 655 3Q. Buckeyes on the verge of breaking this game open. A 25-yard Emeka Egbuka catch, a 13-yard Jeremiah Smith catch and a nicely-designed 12-yard jet sweep by Smith with Ohio State using a double tight end set are the big plays that have the Buckeyes at the Indiana 4. Game is stopped after Ohio State TE Bennett Christian was injured.

• Ohio State 21-7, 1147 3Q. Indiana goes three-and-out. Hoosiers have converted just one third down since its game-opening scoring drive. Kurtis Rourke was fortunate not to throw an interception on a third down sideline pass. Ohio State LB Sonny Styles wasn't looking at the ball or he'd have had a possible pick-six. Buckeyes take over at their own 25.

• FOX broadcast said Kurtis Rourke had the thumb on his throwing hand re-taped.

• Ohio State 21-7, 1244 3Q. Hellvua return by Caleb Downs. Picked the ball up on the roll, spun around long snapper Mark Langston, used the sideline, cut left and he was free. Crusher for the Hoosiers.

All the more so given that Myles Price should have hauled in a Kurtis Rourke pass on third down. Indiana's offense looks rattled for the first time this season. The crowd at Ohio Stadium was already in a frenzy. Now even more so.

• Touchdown Ohio State. Caleb Downs returns a James Evans punt 79 yards for a touchdown.

• Ohio State 14-7, 1412 3Q. Hoosiers just barely avert another giveaway. Justice Ellison fumbles on a run up the middle as Lathan Ransom punched it out. Center Mike Katic recovers for the Hoosiers at the Indiana 32.

• Urban Meyer said on the FOX halftime show that he thinks Indiana needs to have a successful first drive of the second half to avoid being blown out. Well, of course they need to have a good series. Every team does in that situation. As far as the blow out? I don't feel that at all. Indiana needs to shore up its protection and obviously avoid mistakes. Apart from that, it's been relatively even.

• Feel bad for James Evans. He made a mistake at a crucial time, but he's been brilliant for the Hoosiers over the course of his career. I hope the scapegoaters keep that in-mind.

• Some halftime stats: Total offense: Ohio State 128, Indiana 53. Indiana has an 8-7 in first downs, but that's partly because Ohio State has been handed field position inside Indiana territory twice.

Indiana QB Kurtis Rourke is 6-for-9 for 50 yards. Ohio State QB Will Howard is 15 of 17 for 106 yards, 1 TD and 1 interception.

Indiana has three rushing yards on 20 carries, but that's largely down to three Ohio State sacks (Rourke is at minus-28 yards) and the bobbled snap by James Evans (minus-23 yards). Indiana running backs have 56 yards on 15 carries.

• Halftime - Ohio State 14, Indiana 7. Buckeyes hyped up. They leave the field just before halftime with a big play that was handed to them by the Hoosiers. Far from over, though. Curt Cignetti prides himself on keeping his teams composed when things aren't going well. That test is here for the Hoosiers. Indiana gets the ball to start the second half.

• Ohio State 14-7, :21 2Q. This time the Buckeyes take advantage of the Hoosiers' miscue. Just when I was thinking Ohio State was going to the well too often in running the ball against Indiana's defensive front, they get a push to the left side on Henderson's TD run. Obviously, Indiana hasn't had to overcome many mistakes this season, but they do now.

• Touchdown Ohio State. TreVeyon Henderson goes left and scores from 4 yards out.

• 7-7, 141 2Q. Indiana forced to punt and disaster occurs. Punter James Evans lets a good snap go through his hands. Evans falls on the ball at the Ohio State 7-yard line. Evans has been so good for Indiana, but that hurts big-time.

• 7-7, 200 2Q. Indiana has been able to get its running game going on this series. Justice Ellison is up to 34 rushing yards, but Indiana hasn't been able to keep Ohio State defenders off of Kurtis Rourke. Cody Simon got his second sack and Ohio State's third sack overall as the Hoosiers face 2nd-and-18 from their own 27 when the game resumes.

• 7-7, 522 2Q. Indiana defense gives back what the Indiana offense gave up. Ohio State QB Will Howard was flushed forward in the pocket and tried to find Jelani Thurman over the middle. Indiana corner D'Angelo Ponds tipped the pass and linebacker Jailin Walker snagged the ball out of mid-air at the Indiana 11-yard line. A momentum-breaker for the Buckeyes? We'll see.

• 7-7, 722 2Q. Indiana hasn't had an answer for Ohio State QB Will Howard. He's 14-for-14 for 116 yards and the Ohio State fans are back into this game. Indiana tackling has been a tad lacking. Ohio State breaking free where other teams haven't been able to.

• Touchdown Ohio State. Emeka Egbuka with an 11-yard touchdown catch on the left side of the end zone.

• Indiana 7-0, 942 2Q. A false start penalty got Indiana all out of sorts on 3rd-and-1 in Ohio State territory. Live stats gave the penalty to Bray Lynch, the broadcast to James Bomba. On 3rd-and-6, Ohio State brought a blitz and sacked Kurtis Rourke for an 11-yard loss. Indiana is forced to punt and the Buckeyes take over at the Indiana 44-yard-line.

• Indiana 7-0, 1335 2Q. Review confirms that Judkins was short on a first down. What a huge moment for the Hoosiers after the defense let Ohio State out of jail from that 3rd-and-35 situation earlier in the series.

• Indiana 7-0, 1335 2Q. Huge moment for the Hoosiers as they hold the Buckeyes scoreless near the goal line. Indiana forced a 4th-and-1 from the 2-yard line. On a somewhat delayed handoff from the shotgun, Quinshon Judkins went up the middle. CJ West, Mikail Kamara and James Carpenter were among the Hoosiers who stopped Judkins short of the 1-yard line. It's under review, but it looked clear to me that Judkins was short of the first down distance.

• End of 1st quarter - Indiana 7, Ohio State 0. Buckeyes at the Indiana 9-yard line when the second quarter begins. Ohio State's offensive line has not looked any worse, or any better, than any other line Indiana has faced. The Buckeyes have been able to get a push at times, but Indiana's been able to apply pressure too.

• Indiana 7-0, :08 1Q. Indiana seemingly got a bit of good fortune as Carson Hinzman was called for an illegal block in the back on a 26-yard gain on a screen pass to TreVeyon Henderson. Probably was a penalty, but it was unnecessary as Henderson had already cleared the defender.

After that, Indiana defense went into swarm mode. Henderson was hit for a 5-yard loss by Jacob Mangum-Farrar and then on a blitz, Ohio State quarterback Will Howard was called for intentional grounding.

All good, right? Not so fast. Ohio State faced 3rd-and-35 and gained 25 on a pass to Carnell Tate and then went for it on fourth down and completed a 24-yard pass to Tate inside the 10-yard-line to get out of jail. That hurts for the Hoosiers.

• Indiana 7-0, 652 1Q. Can't ask for a better start from the Hoosiers. Indiana marches 70 yards in 11 plays and takes the edge off the crowd at Ohio Stadium. Kurtis Rourke was 2-for-3 on the series for 32 yards. Indiana picked on Ohio State DB Davison Igbinosun, who was called for a pair of pass interference penalties. Indiana passes its first test against this Ohio State defense with flying colors.

• Touchdown Indiana. Ty Son Lawton runs it in from 2 yards out.

• 0-0, 835 1Q. Indiana staying within itself on its opening offensive series. Good decisions being made by Kurtis Rourke as he’s throwing underneath the safeties to good effect. A pass interference penalty on a pass to Elijah Sarratt also helped the Hoosiers cause. Indiana in the red zone.

• 0-0, 1304 1Q. Encouraging start for the Indiana defense. Buckeyes advanced eight yards, but is forced to punt. Indiana takes over at its own 30.

• Indiana starters: Offense – WR Myles Price, RB Justice Ellison, QB Kurtis Rourke, WR Elijah Sarratt, WR Miles Cross, TE Zach Horton, C Mike Katic, T Carter Smith, G Bray Lynch, T Trey Wedig, G Tyler Stephens.

Defense – S Shawn Asbury II, LB Jailin Walker, LB Aiden Fisher, CB D’Angelo Ponds, DE Mikail Kamara, DT CJ West, CB Jamier Johnson, S Amare Ferrell, DE Lanell Carr Jr., DT James Carpenter, DB Terry Jones.

Pregame

• Indiana won the toss, a rarity, as the Hoosiers deferred and will get the ball the second half. I think that's only the second time the Hoosiers have won the toss.

• On College GameDay, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee and Lee Corso (donning an IU helmet) picked Indiana. Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit and guest picker Justin Fields picked Ohio State. I picked Indiana in our predictions story released on Thursday.

• On Big Noon Kickoff, Urban Meyer, Matt Leinart, Mark Ingram and Brady Quinn all picked the Buckeyes. They do score predictions. Meyer (32-26), Leinart (35-24), Ingram (34-27) and Quinn (44-20).

• Indiana has no one on its injury report. Myles Price is back after he got knocked out of the Michigan game. It's remarkable how healthy the Hoosiers have been all season.

• Ohio State confirmed that center Seth McLaughlin is out. ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that Carson Hinzman will play in McLaughlin's place. Hinzman started for Ohio State in 2023.

Also on the report listed as out for Ohio State is WR Nolan Baudo, OL Zen Michalski and WR Reis Stocksdale. RB TC Caffey and T Josh Simmons are listed out for the season along with McLaughlin.

• It’s jarring seeing those early season highlights of Indiana at Memorial Stadium with plenty of seats empty. How things have changed.

• Fashion report: Indiana never changes. No alternate look worn all season and that doesn’t change now. Hoosiers are in all-white with their red helmets.

Ohio State will be in their usual gray helmets, scarlet jerseys and gray pants.

• Curt Cignetti clearly read my column this week? Good to see Cignetti in good spirits and keeping it loose.

• Temperatures are in the high 40s with light wind coming in from the north. For Nov. 23, it's hard to complain about that.

• Indiana last won in Columbus in 1987, a 31-10 victory. The other victories for Indiana came in 1901, 1905, 1913, 1924, 1937, 1943, 1947 and 1951.

I looked up the 1924 game, since it was 100 years ago. The game was played on Nov. 8, 1924 and Indiana won 12-7. Those Hoosiers dealt the Buckeyes their first Big Ten loss and earned their first Big Ten victory. The lede paragraph of the story said, "Indiana upset the Big Ten dope bucket and spilled the contents all over Ohio Stadium here today by winning 12 to 7, from the Ohio State eleven."

Got to love those old school sportswriting terms. It turned out to be the only Big Ten (Western Conference officially back then) win the Hoosiers would get. Ohio State was sent reeling and did not win another Big Ten game either.

Related stories on Indiana football

  • HOW TO WATCH INDIANA-OHIO STATE: Everything you need to know on how to watch Saturday's big game. CLICK HERE.
  • TODD'S TAKE: The backlash against Indiana just grows the chip on the Hoosiers' shoulder that Curt Cignetti loves them to have. CLICK HERE.
  • AIDEN FISHER THINKS INDIANA IS READY FOR OHIO STATE: Indiana linebacker ready to play with "bad intentions". CLICK HERE.
  • PREDICTIONS, 3 KEYS FOR OHIO STATE: What does Indiana need to do to be successful in Columbus? CLICK HERE.
  • MEET THE OPPONENT: Things to know about No. 2 Ohio State as No. 5 Indiana heads to Columbus. CLICK HERE.
  • WHAT DO THE LATEST CFP RANKINGS MEAN FOR INDIANA? A look at where the Hoosiers sit in the College Football Playoff picture. CLICK HERE.
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Todd Golden
TODD GOLDEN

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