Ohio State survives Indiana: Buckeyes snap Hoosiers 22-game win streak after dramatic fourth down stop

The Buckeyes will take a top-five win any way they can get it, but there are some major questions about the offense after this one. The biggest of those questions is obviously what Ohio State will do without Julian Sayin, if he does miss extended time.

The good news is that the Buckeyes have an open date next week, which will give them 14 days to come up with a backup plan if need be. That said, Ohio State has a tough stretch coming out of the off week with a trip to USC and a home game against Oregon.

Both options behind Sayin are incredibly inexperienced: true freshman Luke Fahey and sophomore Tavien St. Clair. The latter was a highly-touted five-star recruit coming out of high school, but Fahey was first off the bench when Sayin went down.

Then again, the Buckeyes weren't exactly smooth on offense with Sayin in the game. The 2025 Heisman Trophy finalist was only 15-of-29 for 235 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Much of that production came on a 38-yard prayer to Jeremiah Smith, and Sayin looked indecisive and uncomfortable far too often.

Ohio State needs to take the next two weeks and get healthy while also working out some issues because the offense wasn't terribly efficient without Smith taking over the game.

One of the hallmarks of Indiana under Curt Cignetti has been mistake-free football. The Hoosiers force other teams to beat them straight up because they aren't going to beat themselves.

That wasn't the case on Saturday.

On Indiana's first possession of the second half, Davion Chandler fumbled the ball, which ended the nation's longest active streak without a fumble at 1,437 snaps. Seven offensive snaps later, the Hoosiers fumbled again as Josh Hoover got crushed from behind on a fourth-down pass attempt.

Ohio State only got three points off those turnovers, but combine them with other errors, and the Hoosiers did themselves no favors. When a first-half drive stalled out deep in in Buckeyes territory, Nico Radicic clanked a 32-yard field goal attempt off the left upright. He left a 55-yard attempt short in the second half.

Of course, the final nail in Indiana's coffin was Marsh coming down with the ball out of bounds on Indiana's final offensive play of the game. Marsh had beaten his defender badly, but he simply lost track of his surroundings and drifted to the sideline.

Look, the stat line isn't necessarily going to boost Smith's Heisman Trophy hopes. He totaled four receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown, but Smith still came up big with the moment of the game.

On fourth-and-1 from the Indiana 38-yard line, Ryan Day elected to go for it instead of attempting a long field goal. That decision paid off, almost entirely due to the efforts of Smith. Julian Sayin just lobbed a ball toward the end zone with two Indiana defenders around Smith, but he managed to come down with what proved to be the game-winning score anyway.

Coming into the day, Indiana was the only team that Smith had faced multiple times without scoring a touchdown. That changed today, and it couldn't have come for a better time for the Buckeyes.

The touchdown was also the 39th of Smith's career, which tied him with Braylon Edwards for the most in Big Ten history.

FINAL: No. 4 Ohio State 19, No. 5 Indiana 15

Ohio State and its fans can exhale. It looked for a moment as though Indiana had beaten the Buckeyes when Nick Marsh came down with a wide reception in the end zone on fourth down.

However, Marsh's left foot came down out of bounds, and that sealed the game for the Buckeyes. It was a day of errors for Indiana, which turned the ball over twice and had multiple missed opportunities on offense. This one could haunt the Hoosiers for a while.

On the Ohio State side of things, it was a costly win as Julian Sayin exited the game with an apparent shoulder injury. He was wearing a sling on that shoulder at the end of the game.

Late 4Q: No. 4 Ohio State 19, No. 5 Indiana 15

After getting blown up by Indiana defensive tackle Mario Landino, Julian Sayin has exited the game with an injury and his on his way to the Ohio State locker room. Landino landed with all his weight on Sayin, and the Buckeys quarterback's shoulder absorbed the worst of that hit.

With Sayin out, freshman Luke Fahey is in the game, and he managed to make a key play on his first snap. Fahey scrambled for a sizable gain and slid before taking a late hit, which gave the Buckeyes a free first down.

Sayin eventually returned to the sideline, but he is wearing a sling on his right shoulder. Clearly, his day is done, so Fahey will have to win this game for the Buckeyes.

10:30 3Q: No. 4 Ohio State 19, No. 5 Indiana 15

The star wide receivers are finally making some big plays in this game. Just moments after Jeremiah Smith pulled down a jump ball for a 38-yard touchdown, Nick Marsh torched Ohio State Cam Calhoun for a 21-yard touchdown catch.

It's been an inconsistent day from Josh Hoover, but that was a great throw to drop that ball into a bucket.

The Hoosiers then converted on the two-point conversion to pull within four points. Buckle up, ladies and gentlemen. We have a ballgame in Bloomington.

11:55 3Q: No. 4 Ohio State 19, No. 5 Indiana 7

At the end of a 14-yard reception by Charlie Becker, Ohio State EDGE Kenyatta Jackson Jr. came flying in to make the tackle, and he remained down on the turf for a while after the collision.

Jackson appeared to be holding his knee before receiving assistance as he walked to the sideline and into the medical tent. Jackson's injury could have bg implications in the rest of this game since the Hoosiers will have to drop back and pass more often, but it could also have a long-term impact on the Ohio State defensive line moving forward.

12:46 4Q: No. 4 Ohio State 19, No. 5 Indiana 7

We've been waiting for Jeremiah Smith to make a big play all day, and he finally broke through for the biggest play of the game so far.

On fourth-and-1, Sayin dropped back to pass and heaved a prayer toward the end zone. Smith played a game of jackpot with two Hoosier defenders around him, and he came down with the ball for a 38-yard touchdown reception.

Not only did that catch give the Buckeyes some badly-needed breathing room, but it also tied Smith with Michigan legend Braylon Edwards for the most career touchdown receptions in Big Ten history.

End of 3Q: No. 4 Ohio State 13, No. 5 Indiana 7

That was a pretty unfortunate sequence for Indiana after the Sayin interception. First, Hoover injured his throwing shoulder on a scramble, and he was in obvious pain despite missing just one snap.

Then, with the health of Hoover's right arm in question, Curt Cignetti elected to kick a 55-yard field goal. Attempting what would have been his new career long, Nico Radicic didn't get enough on his kick and it fell short for his second miss of the day.

Now, the Buckeyes have the ball and a six-point lead going into the fourth quarter. The Hooisers have to come up with answers on offense quickly.

7:11 3Q: No. 4 Ohio State, No. 5 Indiana

It's been a day to forget for Julian Sayin so far, and it just got worse. Sayin just sailed a pass well over the head of Jeremiah Smith, and it came down in the hands of Hoosiers safety Amare Ferrell, who just recorded his second interception of the day.

The second half has quickly turned into a turnover fest with Indiana fumbling the ball twice and Saying tossing another pick. The Hoosiers put seven points on the board after the first Sayin interception. Can they capitalize again?

11:51 2Q: No. 4 Ohio State 13, No. 5 Indiana 7

Indiana opened the second half with a costly miscue when Davion Chandler fumbled away what would have been a significant gain through the air. That fumble actually snapped what was the longest streak in the FBS with 1,437 plays from scrimmage without a fumble.

Ohio State took over at midfield and drove down inside the Indiana 15-yard line.

The Hoosiers defense gets a lot of credit for not breaking in that situation and forcing another Buckeye field goal. This is now the second time in this game that Ohio State has gotten deep into Indiana territory before stalling out and settling for a field goal.

Halftime: No. 4 Ohio State 10, No. 4 Indiana 7

Ohio State needed a drive badly, and it got one in the form of a 15-play, 80-yard drive to effectively close out the first half.

With Indiana neutralizing Jeremiah Smith in the first half, freshman receiver Chris Henry Jr. stepped up and made a couple of big plays to help the Buckeyes get into scoring position. After trying to run the ball down Indiana's throat at the goal line -- without Smith in the game -- Ohio State finally spread it out and used its star receiver to create room for a Bo Jackson receiving touchdown on a critical fourth down.

Neither offense was very crisp in the first half, and both quarterbacks had their fair share of misses. One of Sayin's wound up in the hands of an Indiana defender, and that resulted in the Hoosiers' only points of the day.

After coming up empty on its othe red zone possession, Indiana will have to start finishing drives if it wants to win this game.

5:11 2Q: No. 5 Indiana 7, No. 4 Ohio State

The Hoosiers are gonna want the end of that drive back. Indiana marched 66 yards into the red zone. Josh Hoover found a rhythm, and Nick Marsh finally got involved at wide receiver.

Then, once the Hoosiers got deep into Buckeyes territory, Hoover didn't see a wide open tight end in the end zone with an opportunity to put six points on the board. That resulted in a 32-yard field goal attempt, which Nico Radicic rang off the left upright.

Indiana has to hope it doesn't regret that sequence at the end of the game.

13:54 2Q: No. 5 Indiana 7, No. 4 Ohio State 3

The first big mistake of the game came off the arm of Sayin, who tried to force a pass to Smith out of furstration. Cornerback Jamari Sharpe had excellent coverage on Smith and got a hand on the ball. Safety Amare Ferrell, who has been everywhere in coverage today, came down with the interception.

Two plays later, the Hoosiers offensive line bulldozed a path to the end zone for Turbo Richard, who punched in a seven-yard rushing touchdown.

End of 1Q: No. 4 Ohio State 3, No. 5 Indiana 0

These two teams produced the lowest-scoring Big Ten Championship in history last year, so it should come as no surprise that they combined for three points in the first quarter today.

Some of that has to do with the fact that the quarterbacks are still getting warm. Julian Sayin and Josh Hoover have combined to go 7-for-18 for 96 yards to this point. Some of that is a credit to the defenses, but Sayin and Hoover had each had some bad misses.

The most suprising part of that first quarter was that Jeremiah Smith was a non-factor. Sayin rarely looked his way, and even when he did, it was to throw the ball away. The Hoosiers have defended Smith by pressing him with a linebacker before letting the cornerback take over in coverage.

5:57 1Q: No. 4 Ohio State 3, No. 5 Indiana 0

The Hoosiers offense hasn't been able to find a rhythm yet, and quarterback Josh Hoover has missed a few times already. On Indiana's first drive, he sailed passes over the heads of Turbo Richard and Charlie Becker, even though they had some space.

On the latest possession, Hoover had a nice throw to Becker to moved the chains, but he put the ball in harm's way when he forced a pass over the middle. Ohio State safety Earl Little was laying in the weeds and got a hand on the ball. Fortunately for the Hoosiers, the pass fell incomplete, but it's been a slow start on that side of the ball.

Igniting the run game -- which has just 12 yards on five attempts -- would certainly help.

11:55 1Q: No. 4 Ohio State 3, No. 5 Indiana 0

Ohio State moved the ball well on its first drive, and Jeremiah Smith didn't even have a catch. Instead, the Buckeyes got creative with play action on their first two plays and found tight end Mason Williams for a total of 45 yards.

However, once Ohio State got deep into Indiana territory, it got stuffed before Indiana forced a throw away from Julian Sayin. What started as a promising drive for the Buckeyes results in just three points. That feels like a small win for the Hoosiers in the early going.

Start of 1Q: No. 5 Indiana 0, No. 4 Ohio State 0

The ball is in the air, and we are underway from Bloomington. A top-five matchup. A rematch of the 2025 Big Ten title game. A potential preview of the 2026 Big Ten Championship. It doesn't get much better than this. Follow along as we provide live updates of what will be the biggest football game ever at Memorial Stadium.

Indiana has been quite literally perfect at home under Curt Cignetti. Not only are the Hoosiers undefeated at Memorial Stadium, but they have been crushing opponents in the process.

• Record: 19-0*
• Points per game: 47.0*
• Points against per game: 9.9
• Point differential: 37.1*
• Turnover margin: Plus-21

*Leads FBS since 2024

That's what Ohio State is walking into today, and it hasn't been great away from Ohio State lately. The Buckeyes are 1-3 in their last four games away from home. Granted, only two of those were true road games -- a loss to Texas and a win over Iowa.

Now that we're roughly one hour away from kickoff, here are two matchups I believe will decided this game:

• Jeremiah Smith vs. Indiana DBs: No one has been able to stop Smith, and there's not really a good reason to believe the Hoosiers have that magic elixir either. Even with D'Angelo Ponds at cornerback last season, Indiana still allowed Smith to pile up 144 receiving yards in the Big Ten title game. It'll be fascinating to see how defensive coordinator Bryant Haines plays this. If Indiana can limit Smith in any way, it will force another Ohio State wide receiver to step up, something the team hasn't needed yet. At the very least, the Hoosiers have to keep Smith in front of them at all times.
• Indiana pass-rushers vs. Ohio State OL: The Hoosiers won this matchup last year, and it's a big reason why they're the reigning Big Ten champs. Indiana made Julian Sayin uncomfortable, and it has the pieces to do that again. Kansas State transfer Tobi Osunsanmi leads the conference in tackles for loss (9.5) and sacks (5.0), while Stephen Daley is the co-leader in sacks. The Hoosiers have players who can get to Sayin, so the Ohio State offensive line has to do a better job of keeping its quarterback upright.

It probably goes without saying that this is a mammoth game when it comes to the College Football Playoff, but I'll say it anyway.

What might be a little surprising is that our CFP resume rankings actually have Indiana ahead of Ohio State by a decent margin. That's due in large part to the fact that Northwestern and Nebraska have looked much stronger than anyone anticipated going into Week 1.

By contrast, the Buckeyes don't have many quality wins outside their victory over Iowa. They could change that very quickly with a win today.

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David Cobb

For the first 97 years of this matchup, there were zero top-five matchups, and most of the meetings were lopsided affairs in favor of Ohio State. Going into this matchup, the Buckeyes own an 80-13-5 against the Hoosiers all-time, and the Winsipedia page isn't pretty.

The tables might be turning, however. Indiana has gotten an investment of resources, and it has the right coach in place. The result is a third consecutive top-five matchup between these programs.

If this keeps up, it won't be long before a new Big Ten rivalry develops.

When Indiana was in the market for a new coach several years ago, it didn't look for the 40-year-old wunderkind. Instead, it hired the 62-year-old Curt Cignetti, who spent decades paying his dues in various positions at various levels.

The Hoosiers plucked Cignetti from James Madison after he successfully led the Dukes from the FCS ranks to the FBS level. As it turned out, that was the start of the trend. UCLA scooped up Bob Chesney last offseason, and he's off to a terrific start with the Bruins, and current JMU coach Billy Napier is well on his way to rebuilding his career after a failed stint at Florida.

Harrisonburg, Virginia has suddenly become the cradle of coaches in college football.

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I was tasked with previewing this game -- and offering an against-the-spread pick -- and I went back and forth for while. On the one hand, its been tough to bet against Curt Cignetti at Indiana. Despite the amount of talent the Hoosiers lost, they've reloaded in the portal, and they are a serious threat to win two straight national titles.

On the other hand, Ohio State is as talented as any team in the country, and it has the best player not in the NFL right right now. Jeremiah Smith is operating on a different level than any other player at this level. Beyond that, the Buckeyes defense is loaded with talent capable of slowing the Hoosiers attack.

It should be a tight four-quarter game in Bloomington.

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