Ohio State Week 1 Preview: Indiana Hoosiers

The Ohio State Buckeyes will open their season on the road against the Indiana Hoosiers for the second time since 2017.

Casey Smith | Aug 28, 2023

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Ohio State Buckeyes

The Ohio State Buckeyes will make the 3 1/2-hour trip to Bloomington, IN. to open the 2023 football season against the Indiana Hoosiers.

Though it is a conference game on the road, this will likely be a de facto tune-up game for the Buckeyes against the Hoosiers, who have only finished two seasons above. 500 in Big Ten play since the conference switched to the East and West format in 2014.

Indiana, like the Buckeyes, has a quarterback battle on its hands. However, the Hoosiers' competition didn't open up because their quarterback was selected No. 2 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft like Ohio State's, but rather Jack Tuttle and Connor Bazelak transferred to Michigan and Bowling Green, respectively.

The top two options the Hoosiers have to choose from are class of 2020 three-star dual-threat Dexter Williams II and Tennessee transfer Tayven Jackson, who is the brother of former Hoosiers basketball star Trayce Jackson-Davis.

Last season, Williams played in four games, completing 34.2 percent of his passes for 184 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Against the Buckeyes in 2022, Williams completed 6-of-19 passes for 107 yards and two scores.

On the ground last season, the Macon, GA. native ran for 165 yards on 40 carries, finding the end zone against Michigan State last season.

In garbage time for the loaded Volunteers squad last season, Jackson completed three of his four pass attempts for 37 yards, rushing for 10 yards and a touchdown.

It is never a good thing when your punter, which for Indiana is James Evans, was tied for fifth in the Football Bowl Subdivision with 75 punts and fourth with 3,325 total punt yards.

Even if the Hoosiers find their best option under center since Michael Penix Jr.'s 274-yard-per-game 2020 season, they will need a complete 180 on the defensive side of the football.

Last season, Indiana was the only Big Ten team to allow over 400 points last season, surrendering 33.9 points and 449.3 yards per game, which was 120th and 119th in the FBS last season.

The last time the Buckeyes trotted a first-time starter onto a road Big Ten opener was when C.J. Stroud took the field against Minnesota to begin the 2021 season.

Stroud went 13-for-22 with 294 yards, four touchdowns and an interception, as Ohio State narrowly escaped with a 45-31 victory against the Golden Gophers.

That likely won't be the case at Memorial Stadium Sept. 2 when the Buckeyes trot out Stroud's successor in Kyle McCord or Devin Brown, as Ohio State has owned Indiana 78-12-5, winning 27-consecutive games since 1991.

The Hoosiers have only defeated the Buckeyes twice since 1952.

In the first 3:30 p.m. CBS time slot for Ohio State since the Big Ten's new media rights deal, it will enter play as 28-point favorites against Indiana.

Indiana Hoosiers

2022 Record: 4-8, 2-7 Big Ten

Head coach: Tom Allen

Returning Offensive Leaders:

Passing: QB Dexter Williams

2022 stats: 13-for-38, 184 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions

Rushing: RB Josh Henderson

2022 stats: 90 carries, 398 yards, 4.4 yards per carry, four touchdowns

Receiving: WR Cam Camper

2022 stats: 46 receptions, 569 yards, 12.4 yards per catch, two touchdowns