The Ohio State football program was able to enjoy its second bye week in the perfect spot. Initially, the Buckeyes thought they were going to have to use this week to prepare for a top-five clash with Penn State. The Nittany Lions have collapsed, so they no longer pose a major challenge.
In fact, the Ohio State Buckeyes will be favored in the rest of the games they play this season. Playing TTUN on the road won't be easy, especially given what happened last season. But on paper, they are no match for the Buckeyes. In fact, Ohio State's toughest Big Ten foe is a team they might not see until the Big Ten Championship.
That team is Indiana. The Hoosiers are the second-ranked team in the country, and they tore apart a hot UCLA team 56-6. They didn't even throw the ball well in that game, either. It looks like these two teams could be destined for a one vs. two showdown in Indy.
The Ohio State football team might have its toughest opponent in the Big Ten Championship
If that is the matchup that happens, this is not the same Hoosiers team that the Buckeyes drubbed last year, while the Hoosiers were the fifth-ranked team in the country. That game was never truly in doubt, and the Hoosiers didn't play another tough foe until the College Football Playoff.
This year's Hoosiers squad as an incredible win at Oregon and has beaten all of the easy teams on their schedule. Defensively, they would make things tougher for Ohio State than any team other than Texas. Offensively, they would present the toughest test this elite Buckeye defense has seen.
There is still a lot of football to be played before the matchup in the Big Ten Championship is decided. Indiana will be favored in all of their games the rest of the way, as well. Ohio State still has to get that Michigan monkey off their back before they can start thinking about Indy.
If this is the matchup, it's a matchup that college football fans will enjoy watching.