Last season, the Buckeyes struggled offensively against the Indiana Hoosiers. They were shut down, losing 13-10 to IU in the Big Ten Championship Game. One of the biggest menaces chasing down Ohio State players was defensive lineman Stephen Daley, who was the best defensive lineman they had.
In that game against Ohio State, Daley had three tackles and a sack. Unfortunately for him, he hurt his knee celebrating the victory, and he was not able to participate in the CFP run. Now, he's taking advantage of a court ruling to return to IU, which is bad news for the Buckeyes.
Stephen Daley is coming back to haunt Ohio State again
Daley went undrafted in April due to teams having concerns about the injury that he suffered. Now, he has decided to return to the Hoosiers. This is exactly what the Buckeyes did not need. Indiana is Ohio State's biggest threat in the Big Ten, and they just got measurably better.
Only the Buckeyes had a statistically better defense than the Hoosiers last year. Indiana finished second in points allowed per game, fourth in total yards allowed per game, and second in sacks. Quite frankly, they dominated the competition, and Ohio State got to see that firsthand.
Last season, Daley finished with 35 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles for the Hoosiers. It was the first season he played in the Power 4, as he played his first three seasons at Kent State. With him returning, Indiana's defense becomes much tougher to move the ball against.
Ohio State takes on Indiana on October 17th in what will almost certainly be a Big Noon Kickoff. That game will be played in Bloomington, and it will likely be the first time that Ohio State has played in that stadium in a charged atmosphere. In the past, that stadium has been sleepy.
Ohio State is still favored to win the Big Ten despite Daley's return
In the first Coaches Poll of the season, the Ohio State Buckeyes were the top-ranked team in the country. It's highly likely that they will be the number-one team in the first AP Poll when that is released, as well. What is unclear is how Daley's return will affect IU's ranking.
The Hoosiers sit sixth in the Coaches Poll. It stands to reason that they could rise into the top five now that Daley has confirmed his return. Regardless of where the Hoosiers are ranked, the Buckeyes are still going to be favored to win the Big Ten and the national championship.
It's unlikely that Ohio State brings anyone back now that everyone from the 2022 class has a fifth year of eligibility. While Jayden Fielding is looking for a return to college football, it won't be with the Buckeyes. His roster spot has been filled by Connor Hawkins.
Other Big Ten teams will likely take advantage of this rule, as well. As far as the teams at the top of the Big Ten are concerned, Indiana is the only one that stands to benefit greatly.
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