Ohio State’s Indiana Win Revealed Something Important About the Buckeyes’ Resilience
A demanding stretch awaits
Ohio State had a bye week after its win over Indiana, with players resting while several Big Ten results unfolded. Illinois beat Oregon 21-10, Minnesota hurt Iowa’s College Football Playoff hopes, UCLA defeated Michigan State, and Northwestern earned a bowl bid with a 42-14 victory over Rutgers.
The Buckeyes moved to No. 2 in Sunday’s AP Poll. Their schedule resumes Saturday night with a road game against USC, set for 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
Indiana victory showed resilience
On Oct. 17, Ohio State won 19-15 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana, ending the Hoosiers’ 22-game winning streak. The article describes Indiana as the defending national champion and notes its unbeaten season the year before.
The result underscored that a team need not be perfect, and that one player’s injury does not automatically end a season. Ohio State’s longer-term aims of winning the Big Ten or claiming a second national title in three seasons remain possible.
Season outlook remains open
The article says the Buckeyes could look substantially different if someone other than Julian Sayin plays quarterback. It names Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair as possible players for the USC game, without saying whether either will suit up.
Coach Ryan Day is a national champion, and coordinators Matt Patricia and Arthur Smith have won at the NFL level. The article also notes that Ohio State last won nine games or fewer in 1985, while rejecting the idea that the season is already over.
More than one team’s stakes
Ohio State is still pursuing its own goals, but another College Football Playoff appearance could also give it a chance to extend the Big Ten’s national-title success. The article frames the Indiana win as evidence that the Buckeyes remain resilient rather than underachieving.
Josh Pate, described as a college football podcaster for ESPN and On3, might project a 9-3 finish, the article says. It argues that such a forecast does not establish that Ohio State’s season has ended.
Key points
- Ohio State beat Indiana 19-15 on Oct. 17, ending the Hoosiers’ 22-game winning streak.
- The Buckeyes rose to No. 2 in the AP Poll during their bye week.
- Ohio State visits USC Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
- The article says Ohio State’s Big Ten and national-title goals remain in reach.