The Indiana Hoosiers and Ohio State Buckeyes are set to match up for the first time this year on Saturday. For the Hoosiers, they’ll still have one more ranked team remaining after this bout.
For the Buckeyes, this is their last meeting against a ranked opponent. Both are currently undefeated atop the Big Ten East.
The all-time series between these two teams is heavily dominated by the Buckeyes. They hold a 75-12-4 record against the Hoosiers. If history were to repeat itself, it looks like Ohio State should be well on its way to a victory on Saturday.
The last time the Hoosiers beat the Buckeyes was in 1988 when they blew Ohio State out, 41-7. The Hoosiers actually won the game the prior year as well, 31-10.
Those two victories marked their first against the Buckeyes since 1951. It’s always a monumental day when Indiana pulls the upset.
Can the Hoosiers upset No. 3?
The Hoosiers enter this matchup 4-0 on the season. They’ve already defeated then-No. 8 Penn State to open the season and then-No. 23 Michigan two weeks ago. As of the start of this week, the Hoosiers were listed at No. 9, but don’t sleep on this team against the No. 3 Buckeyes.
The Hoosiers have an extremely productive offense that averages 33.8 points per game and 362 yards per game, but it’s their defense that’s been more impressive this season. They only give up 19.3 points per game and 320 yards per game on defense, which is a big difference from what their offense gives them.
Indiana needs its defense to show out in Saturday’s game if they want to win. They’re coming off a 24-0 shutout against Michigan State, which should bode well for their defense. Now it’s a matter of their play last week translating to their play this week against Ohio State.
Will the Buckeyes Remain Steady?
The Buckeyes enter this game 3-0 on the season, having beaten Nebraska, Penn State, and Rutgers. Penn State was the only ranked team out of that bunch, and they were only ranked No. 18, so this game against Indiana is the Buckeyes’ toughest game to date.
The Buckeyes have a much more sound offense than the Hoosiers. They score a whopping 46.3 points per game and amass over 510 yards per game.
In addition to that, they only give up 23.0 points per game and 356 yards per game. There’s no doubt they play well on both sides of the ball.
The question is whether or not they can do it against a team like Indiana. It’s their last game against a ranked opponent, and with the shortened season, it’ll mean a lot for their success moving forward. They’ll need their offense to click on all cylinders to grab a win in this one.
Betting Odds and Lines
Who takes home the victory in this exciting matchup between the Buckeyes and Hoosiers? Ohio State (-115) is a 20.5-point favorite over the Indiana Hoosiers (-105). The over/under is also listed at a whopping 66 points.
Free Betting Pick
The sportsbooks don’t think this is going to be a close game, but I think they’re wrong. I think Indiana can hang with this Buckeyes team long enough to make it interesting. With that being said, I do think the Buckeyes are the better team and will pull away victorious by game’s end.
Ultimately, it’ll come down to the Hoosiers forcing turnovers on defense. I think they’ll do that in the first three quarters, but a strong fourth quarter from Ohio State seals the deal.
Pick: Indiana Hoosiers (+20.5)