When the Ohio State Buckeyes’ squad takes the field at 12:00 local time Saturday, the simple truth is, it might be the most important game they’ll play. Yes, Head Coach Ryan Day has built an impressive record over the last five seasons, and yes, the Buckeye’s are obviously going into the playoffs, but there’s more at stake than simply winning another game.
A win Saturday at Ohio Stadium will prove Ohio State is the dominant team in the now-dominant Big 10.
In an interview Tuesday, Day acknowledged the team Ohio State has traditionally dominated is not the team he’ll be playing Saturday – Curt Cignetti, head coach at Indiana, has built a strong team on a solid foundation.
“I think what’s unique about this situation is that coach Cignetti came over from James Madison and brought a core with him. There was already a group of guys that knew the culture, he integrated it with those (returning) guys, had success earlier and it’s really grown from there. I think it’s a winning recipe.”
Despite what the Ohio State faithful might think, beating a reborn and undefeated Indiana team may be a bigger challenge than it seems. Let’s look at the stats and the news.
The Ohio State Buckeyes And the Indiana Hoosiers Are A LOT Alike
The biggest challenge comes from the Buckeye’s O-line. Right now, Ohio State starting center Seth McLaughlin will not play, having torn his Achilles’ tendon in practice Tuesday. On the surface, a single offensive lineman might not seem like much, but Ohio State has dealt with a weak and injured offensive line all year, and the loss of McLaughlin could be a critical tipping point for the Buckeyes the rest of the year.
No matter who takes the field Saturday, this game is liable to be a battle. Indiana Quarterback Kurtis Rourke is ranked second in the nation in scoring, and a review of the two teams’ stats shows how, on paper at least, both Indiana and Ohio State are playing high quality football. Yes, “strength of schedule” would work for Ohio State, but Indiana has their best record since 1945, so there’s an element of momentum that might be hard to value.
And it can’t be ignored that Indian quarterback Kurtis Rourke is coming home for this game, having played for the Buckeyes for the last three years. He knows what to expect, he’s arguably the best quarterback in the nation right now in multiple categories, and he is excellent under pressure in the pocket.
Ohio State QB Will Howard is no slouch, and both he and Rourke represent the new archetype of the big, hard-to-bring down quarterback. In many respects, the similarities between their production on the field, their offensive statistics, and there physical prowess? Saturday’s game could be a shootout, but not one without controversy.
Will The Buckeyes’ Defense Be The Edge?
On the other side of the line, both teams boast an excellent defensive squad, with the Hoosiers ranked third in terms of giving up the lowest points per game, right behind Ohio State, with a defense ranked #2 in the nation.
Still, questions remain for both teams’ defenses. Ohio State has been picked apart by high quality passing, as seen in their loss to Oregon, but also, simple smash-mouth football proved hard to overcome in the win against lowly Nebraska. To win Saturday, the Buckeyes will have to play four quarters of solid defense, which they’ve proven capable of, but any team can lose focus. The home field advantage is likely a huge factor this weekend.
In terms of the paper trail? These two teams are nearly equal. Yes, Indiana has played “worse” teams, likely bumping their stats, but it could be argued – as always – those teams were giving reps to younger players.
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