The Ohio State Buckeyes will make a trip to Bloomington later this season in what could be college football's Game of the Year. The October 17 showdown between the Hoosiers and Buckeyes is unsurprisingly already garnering a high level of hype. While kick-off between these two Big Ten powers doesn't come for another month, the stakes have already been raised.
Ohio State's loss to Texas should put Indiana on high alert
Over the weekend, the 1st-ranked Buckeyes went down to Texas to take on the 4th-ranked Longhorns. Ohio State dominated through 3 quarters, and held an emphatic 23-3 lead heading into the 4th quarter. As long as things didn't collapse, Ryan Day was on his way to a major road win.
However, things did collapse. The Buckeyes squandered a 20-point 4th quarter lead and ultimately lost 24-23. Dropped passes, missed throws, overly conservative play-calling, poor clock management, and a missed field goal all played a part in Ohio State's meltdown. The loss dropped OSU from No. 1 to No. 6 in the AP Top-25 Poll, and leaves the Buckeyes with little room for error the rest of the way.
When looking at the rest of Ohio State's schedule, several tough matchups await. Ohio State hosts Illinois on September 26 and then travels to No. 18 Iowa on October 3. Following their visit to No. 4 Indiana on October 17, the Buckeyes still have to play at No. 12 USC, vs No. 21 Oregon, at Nebraska, and vs No. 19 Michigan.
Ohio State’s collapse vs Texas makes one Indiana strength even more valuable
Already with one loss, Ohio State has little room for error moving forward. Thus, Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers should be on high alert for a ferocious effort from the Buckeyes in October. Ohio State's sense of urgency will be significant, and depending on how the next several weeks unfold, that urgency could turn into outright desperation by the time the two teams meet.
Indiana should expect Ohio State to play with plenty of intensity and physicality, especially with the stakes potentially even higher by then. What was already a marquee matchup months ago now carries even more serious implications.
What will the next chapter of the Indiana vs. Ohio State rivalry reveal?
The Hoosiers and Buckeyes have built up quite the rivalry on the gridiron over the past two seasons. They are the past two National Champions, and next month's matchup puts them on a collision course for another instant classic.
Cignetti is 18-1 in Big Ten play during his tenure at Indiana, with his lone loss coming to Ohio State back in 2024. The Hoosiers were able to get their revenge in the next meeting, which came in last December's Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis. The Hoosiers won 13-10 in a thrilling defensive battle, which sets the stage for another closely-contested matchup next month.
With plenty of College Football Playoff implications surely to be on the line, October's showdown promises to offer another defining moment in this increasingly compelling college football rivalry.
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