The 100th all-time meeting between Ohio State and Indiana should be a good one. The fifth-ranked Hoosiers bring their undefeated record into Columbus for a date with the fourth-ranked Buckeyes, and the winner will have the inside track to Indianapolis.
The reigning national champion, Indiana, hasn't faced a single ranked team, and it's had one of the easier schedules in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers did get a dicey road test against Nebraska last weekend, so that may have been a nice primer for what's to come on Saturday. Despite losing a number of key pieces from last year's team, Indiana still looks like a serious title contender thanks to newcomers Nick Marsh (528 receiving yards and six touchdowns), Turbo Richard (leads Big Ten in rushing yards) and Tobi Osunsanmi (leads the Big Ten in sacks and tackles for loss).
Ohio State will be looking for a little revenge after losing to Indiana in the 2025 Big Ten Championship. That loss snapped the Buckeyes' 30-game winning streak over the Hoosiers, so they'll try to start a new one on Saturday. That's entirely possible, largely due to the presence of Heisman Trophy favorite and athletic anomaly Jeremiah Smith, who leads the conference in just about every major receiving category.
This is one of the best games on a loaded Week 7 slate, so here is everything you must know as No. 5 Indiana visits No. 4 Ohio State.
Ohio State vs. Indiana: Need to know
Annual top-five matchup: For the first 97 meetings between these teams, there were zero top-five matchups. When the game kicks off Saturday, it will be the third time in as many years that Indiana and Ohio State have played with both teams ranked inside the top five. If we're honest, Indiana was the main reason there were no top-five matchups in the first 97 meetings, but that has changed in a big way now. The Hoosiers have the resources and the coach to compete with the Buckeyes, so we may have a budding Big Ten rivalry on our hands.
Smith's historic season: Every week, Smith rewrites the record books at the program, conference and NCAA level. That could continue on Saturday because Smith is just one receiving touchdown shy of matching Michigan legend Braylon Edwards for the most in Big Ten history (39). Smith has already secured the school records for career receptions (211), receiving yards (3,474) and receiving touchdowns (38). He should only add to those totals against a Hoosiers secondary Smith beat for 144 yards last year.
Sacking Sayin: One way to make sure Smith never gets the football is to hit Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin while he still has the ball. That's exactly what the Hoosiers did in the Big Ten title game, sacking Sayin five times. Indiana has the personnel to get after Sayin again this time around. Osunsanmi and Stephen Daley have combined for 10 sacks, and Ohio State has allowed 11 sacks of Sayin thus far. The battle between the Indiana defensive front and the Ohio State offensive line in pass protection will be critical.
Where to watch Ohio State vs. Indiana live
Date: Saturday, Oct. 17 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Ohio Stadium -- Columbus, Ohio
TV: Fox | Live stream: Fubo (try free)
Ohio State vs. Indiana prediction, picks
This should be another tremendous game between a pair of national title contenders, and it may very well be a preview of the Big Ten Championship matchup. Having said that, I do wonder how well Indiana's passing defense will hold up for 60 minutes, especially without D'Angelo Ponds in the secondary this time. Ohio State hits enough big plays with Smith to create some breathing room late. Pick: Ohio State -3.5
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