Pray for Indiana football on the road against Ohio State in Week 10

Indiana football will be riding into Columbus, facing a likely top-2 ranked opponent in Ohio State, in Week 10 and be ready for a challenge. The Hoosiers football program has not beaten Ohio State since 1988, losing 27 straight games, including last season’s blowout, a 54-7 loss at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. Can Indiana football even challenge the Buckeyes in Week 10?

Preview of Indiana football going on the road against the likely 2022 CFP participant, Ohio State Buckeyes in Week 10:

Opponent: Ohio State Buckeyes
Date/Time: Saturday, November 12th at TBD
TV: TBD
Location: Ohio Stadium – Columbus, Ohio
All-time Head-to-Head Record: 9-78-4 (.121)

Offensive Key Player(s)

C.J. Stroud – #7 – QB

Stroud finished 2021 as a Heisman Trophy finalist, 2021 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Big Ten, and led all quarterbacks in the Big Ten in passing yards (4,478), completion percentage (71.9), passing touchdowns (44), and passing efficiency rating (186.6). Stroud is coming into this season as the favorite to win the Heisman trophy and become another Ohio State quarterback that gets drafted early in the NFL Draft.

Against Indiana football in 2021, Stroud threw for 266 passing yards and four touchdowns in the blowout win in Bloomington. Expect another stellar performance from Stroud against the Hoosiers, and likely will be pulled by the third or fourth quarter due to a blowout.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba – #11 – WR

Stroud is not the only likely Heisman candidate from Ohio State for the upcoming 2022 season, as Jaxon Smith-Njigba is looking to become just the fifth wide receiver to win the Heisman trophy, and just the second since 1992 (DeVonta Smith – Alabama won in 2020). Smith-Njigba led all receivers in the Big Ten in receptions (95) and receiving yards (1,606), and ranked third in all of college football in receiving yards. His 1,606 receiving yards is the most in a single season by a Buckeyes’ wide receiver in school history, passing David Boston who had 1,435 for Ohio State in 1998.

Smith-Njigba had six receptions for 99 yards against the Hoosiers in 2021 and will be the focus of Indiana football’s secondary in 2022, as Tiawan Mullen and Jaylin Williams will be focused on him as Stroud’s primary target.

TreVeyon Henderson – #32 – RB

As a true freshman last season, Henderson led all Big Ten running backs in rushing yards per attempt (6.8) and ranked third in the conference in rushing touchdowns (15) and fourth in total rushing yards (1,248). Henderson has extreme upside this season and is ranked #4 in Joshua Perry’s Top 30 Big Ten Players for 2022, behind only Braelon Allen (Wisconsin – #3), and his fellow teammates Jaxon Smith-Njigba (#2) and C.J. Stroud (#1).

Henderson ran all over the Hoosiers (as evident in the video below) with 81 rushing yards on just nine attempts, two rushing touchdowns, and added a receiving touchdown as well to finish off Indiana football in 2021. Look for Henderson and the Buckeyes to establish the running game early to open up opportunities for Stroud and Smith-Njigba on the outside in Week 10.

Defensive Key Player(s)

Denzel Burke – #5 – CB

Burke is the biggest standout for the Buckeyes on the defensive side of the ball as he led the team and the entire Big Ten conference in passes defended (12) as a true freshman and earned third team All-Big Ten honors, along with being named a freshman All-American by ESPN, The Athletic, and 247Sports.

If the Hoosiers have any chance against the Buckeyes in Week 10, throwing away from Denzel Burke will be important, as he usually finds a way to make a play on a ball if thrown in his direction. Having any sort of run game will give the Hoosiers a sliver of hope, but not much.

Overall Outlook

Realistically, I give Indiana football less than a 1% chance to challenge the Buckeyes in this Week 10 matchup, as Ohio State will be coming off two straight road games, which will likely result in victories over Penn State and Northwestern. Playing Ohio State in Columbus for the Hoosiers has not been favorable, losing 15 straight road games against the Buckeyes, last winning in 1987. Indiana football’s losing streak against the Buckeyes will extend to 28 games after this Week 10 game.