Ohio State came away with a 19-15 victory over Indiana in Bloomington today. It was an ugly and costly win for the Buckeyes. Ugly because they struggled to protect their quarterback and score in the red zone on offense. Costly because their struggle to protect their quarterback saw Julian Sayin get injured and be shelved for multiple weeks.
Ohio State’s offense came into the game averaging 42.6 points per game, came away with 19, and now averages 33.3 per game. The offense got 313 yards against IU, well below their 503.5 average coming into the game. They now have a season average of 476.2 per game.
The passing game entered averaging 337.8 per game, had 235 yards, and now averages 323.1 per game. The rushing attack entered averaging 165.6 yards per game, had 78 yards (after adjusting for sacks), and left with a 153.1 yards-per-game average. The turnovers have been rougher for OSU, especially the last two weeks. They have eight on the year after having two against IU, averaging 1.1 per game.
What the Offense Needs to Improve On
Julian Sayin is out with an injury now. Sayin had been struggling this season with the placement of many of his throws. While that is a fair criticism of Sayin, it’s also more than fair, and it must be mentioned that he needed to be protected better. The play in which he was injured was when a pass rusher came free and essentially blindsided him. So that’s the most pressing offensive need: better play in the trenches.
The next would be red zone efficiency. 13 points on three red zone trips usually won’t get it done against a top-five team. Five red zone trips with four scores (two touchdowns and two field goals) wasn’t enough to beat a 4-2 Texas team.
Three trips with a touchdown and two field goals were inches away from not being enough to beat Indiana. They’ll need that shored up big time against their remaining opponents of USC, Oregon, Northwestern, Nebraska, and UM.
What the Offense Did Best
Making sure they had their best personnel on the field in the most important moments. This bit the Buckeyes and cost them the 2025 Big Ten Championship game against Indiana. Many times in their short-yardage or goal-line offensive attempts in Indianapolis last December, Ohio State took superstar receivers Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith off the field for extra blocking power.
Ohio State started to fall into the same trap against the Hoosiers today, but went out of their way to do the opposite, and it paid off. More on that in a moment, but you absolutely love to see a team learn from and not repeat mistakes like that.
Offensive play of the game
It was a gotta have it, make-or-break moment for Ohio State. In the first half, when trailing 3-7, Ohio State had it at the Hoosier goal line, and four runs in their power formation got Ohio State two yards. On fourth down, a make-or-break moment, they went into shotgun formation and spread the defense out. Smith runs a slant that clears out the defense, allowing Sayin to hit a wide-open Bo Jackson to make it a 10-7 ballgame.
Keep trying to pound it in the middle, and then it was there on the outside twice! The second time, the difference was #4 was in the game. He cleared out the defense, and they got it to Bo Jackson! Huge touchdown!https://t.co/eBFmqHPnvD https://t.co/DC72WstiVx
— Phillip Riggs (@phillipriggs85) October 17, 2026
Offensive player of the game
Once again it’s Jeremiah Smith. Smith was the reason Ohio State got both of its touchdowns in the win over Indiana. He cleared out the defense on the first fourth-down touchdown of the game for Ohio State.
On this fourth-and-one, this time from the Indiana 38-yard line. Ohio State is in what I call the gray zone, where they’re too close to punt but too far away to kick a field goal. Sayin gets great protection and goes for it all and heaves it toward Jeremiah Smith, who, despite being double-covered, makes the touchdown catch to put Ohio State up 19-7. Ohio State doesn’t win without Jeremiah Smith. He had four catches for 68 yards and the touchdown. This season, he has 52 catches for 984 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Offensive stat of the game
Ohio State’s fourth-down efficiency. Ohio State was a perfect two-for-two on fourth downs against Indiana. And they couldn’t have been any bigger, both conversions were touchdown plays in a 19-15 victory. Huge to get it when they had to have it!
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