Ohio State vs. Indiana Prediction, Game Preview

Sort of forgotten in all the craziness over the second half of last season was how Indiana (4-0) gave Ohio State (4-0) one of its toughest games of the year. Tevin Coleman ran well, and the Hoosiers were in the fight for three quarters until the game blew open. This time around, IU gets a chance to pull off one of the greatest wins in school history and become the national sports story. Ohio State just needs to be interested. Check out the Ohio State vs. Indiana prediction and game preview.

Ohio State vs. Indiana Game Preview

Broadcast

Date: Saturday, Oct. 3
Game Time: 3:30 pm
Venue: Memorial Stadium , Bloomington, IN
Network: ABC/ESPN2

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Why You Need To Care

Ohio State isn’t playing like the No. 1 team in the country, but it doesn’t have to. It’s been sleepwalking, struggling against Northern Illinois before going through the motions against Western Michigan as it tries to maintain its interest in life before dealing with Michigan State in late November. At least IU will be a decent test, and this could be the hardest game so far, at least if you don’t think Virginia Tech is any good. With home games against Maryland and Penn State up next, right now it’s just about getting through the grind.

Is Indiana No. 1 if it beats No. 1? The last win over Ohio State came in 1988 – the two teams tied in 1990 – but with a terrific offensive balance to go along with just enough defense to get by, the Hoosiers have cranked out a nice 4-0 start to get to this moment. It’s taken a while under head coach Kevin Wilson, but this is the game the program has been building towards. IU isn’t better than OSU, but all it takes is the right game on the right day – the team almost came up with that last year, and now it’s far better.

Why Ohio State Will Win

If the Buckeye passing game was ever going to get rolling, this would be the week against an IU secondary that’s giving up yards in massive bunches. Even the teams that don’t really throw – like FIU and Wake Forest – were able to fatten up on the Hoosiers, while WKU cranked up 484 yards and Southern Illinois started out the season with 411. Ohio State’s passing has been sketchy and erratic, but the NFL receiving corps should be able to break out with way too many weapons for the beleaguered Hoosiers. Cardale, it’s time to look the part.

Why Indiana Will Win

The Hoosiers might be able to keep up the pace. With a balanced attack and a ground game that’s working well along with the passing of Nate Sudfeld, this might be the most efficient and effective O yet under Kevin Wilson. Sudfeld’s playing like the missing piece of the puzzle he turned out to be last season, giving away just one interception while doing a great job of making the right throws to keep the team moving on third downs. He’ll have to be ready to handle the pressure from the OSU pass rush, but this is a smart attack that knows what it’s doing.

Player Who Matters

Remember when Braxton Miller looked like an unstoppable force against Virginia Tech? He’s getting the ball in his hands as a runner, but he only has seven catches on the year doing next to nothing over the last three games. He torched the Hoosiers for 105 yards rushing in 2011 and 149 in 2012 and 144 in 2013. Of course, that was as a quarterback, but if OSU is going to go back to being a dominant juggernaut, it should use all of its weapons again.

What’s Going To Happen?

Indiana will have a little fun on offense for a few drives, but the Ohio State defense will put the clamps down in the second half. The pass rush and the linebacking corps will be dominant.