The Ohio State Buckeyes have been waiting to get revenge on Indiana for quite a long time. Ever since losing the Big Ten Championship to them last December, they have had this game circled. This weekend will showcase two top-five teams in a game with major conference implications.
Ohio State will have some injury problems in this game, as they won't have Ja'Kobi Jackson or Austin Siereveld. In fact, Jackson seemed to hint on Instagram that his injury could be a long-term issue. With those facts in mind, we give you some bold predictions for the game.
1. Bo Jackson rushes for 110+ yards
Last week against the Terrapins was the first time that the Buckeyes had a 100-yard rusher. Bo Jackson was the one who was able to get that mark. This week, he will pretty much be the only back that Ohio State features because of some injury concerns.
As mentioned before, Ja'Kobi Jackson is out. Isaiah West played terribly against Maryland. That leaves Legend Bey as the only other back who can realistically get snaps. The coaches are still trying to figure out if they can truly trust him.
With all of that being the case, this is Jackson's time to shine. I expect him to have at least 110 yards rushing in this game, as Ryan Day is going to want to maintain balance with his offense. It can't be all Jeremiah Smith in this game, no matter how great he is.
2. Ohio State forces Josh Hoover to throw his first interception
The knock coming out of TCU for Josh Hoover was the fact that he turned the ball over a lot. Last season for the Horned Frogs, Hoover threw 13 interceptions. Through six games, he has yet to throw one for the Hoosiers. He has paired that with 17 touchdown passes.
Hoover has not played a defense nearly as dangerous as this one, though. Ohio State is by far the most talented team that the Hoosiers have played in what has been a light schedule so far. This is the game that Hoover is finally forced to throw his first interception.
3. Ohio State misses another crucial kick in a big game
I never said all of my bold predictions were going to be positive. Connor Hawkins was supposed to come in and help the Buckeyes with their kicking issues. He was supposed to bring stability to the special teams. Instead, he has missed two field goals in ranked matchups this season.
It's hard to trust him in what will be another ranked foe on the road. I predict that he will miss a field goal in this game. That might be the last time that Day tries to trot him out in a high-leverage situation. If he misses one in this game, expect Day to start going for it a lot more on fourth down.
I don't expect the missed field goal to be a factor in the game, however. I still expect Ohio State to avenge its loss from a year ago and walk out of Bloomington with a win.
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