Ohio State faces reigning football national champion Indiana on Oct. 17, the team's first meeting since the Buckeyes lost to the Hoosiers in the 2025 Big Ten Championship.
Last season, Indiana beat Ohio State 13-10 on Dec. 6 and clinched the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. Ohio State fell to the No. 2 seed and lost to Miami in a CFP quarterfinal. Indiana faced Miami in the national championship game and won 27-21, completing a 16-0 season and securing the first national title in Hoosiers football history.
This season, the Hoosiers are off to a 6-0 start after beating Nebraska 20-17 on Oct. 10. Ohio State is 5-1 and beat Maryland 45-16.
Ohio State vs. Indiana season comparison
The Buckeyes have had a season that meets expectations except for a Week 2 loss to Texas. After blowing
a 17-point lead against the Longhorns, the Buckeyes have floored their Big Ten opponents, winning by 14 points or more against Illinois, Iowa and Maryland.
Indiana enters the matchup against the Buckeyes with an undefeated record. After quarterback Fernando Mendoza was selected No. 1 in the 2026 NFL Draft, Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti utilized the transfer portal to snag TCU transfer Josh Hoover. Through six games, Hoover has 1,364 yards and 17 touchdowns without an interception.
The Hoosiers had close calls against unranked opponents Northwestern and Nebraska.
Northwestern got within one score late in the fourth quarter. The Hoosiers iced the game when they converted on a third down inside the game's final minute. After holding Northwestern to 51 yards through the first half, Indiana's defense ended up allowing 325 total yards of offense, including 293 through the air.
The Hoosiers also trailed for a majority of the game against Nebraska. With Indiana down 17-13 in the fourth quarter on fourth down, Nebraska's defense blew coverage on a play-action pass that allowed wide receiver Nick Marsh to score a 44-yard go-ahead touchdown.
Quarterback comparison: Ohio State's Julian Sayin vs. Indiana's Josh Hoover
• Passing yards: Sayin 1,772, Hoover 1,364
• Passing TDs: Hoover 17, Sayin 17
• Interceptions: Hoover 0, Sayin 2
• Total touchdowns: Hoover 18, Sayin 19
• Rushing touchdowns: Sayin 2, Hoover 1
Ohio State vs. Indiana offensive X-Factor
Ohio State: WR Jeremiah Smith
Jeremiah Smith leads the Bitg Ten in receiving yards, receptions and touchdowns. He was the second Big Ten receiver ever to have back-to-back 200-receiving-yard games, doing so against Iowa and Illinois. Also, 53% of Sayin's passing yards this season have been to Smith.
Indiana recently allowed 391 yards of offense to Nebraska.
Indiana: WR Nick Marsh
Though Indiana's Charlie Becker played well against Ohio State in the Big Ten championship, wide receiver Nick Marsh is coming off a clutch performance. Against Nebraska, he had six catches for 187 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning score.
A transfer from Michigan State, Marsh could land in the first round of next year's NFL draft.
Ohio State vs. Indiana team stats
(FBS stats through Week 6)
- Points per game: Indiana 40.2 (14th), Ohio State 42.7 (7th)
- Points allowed per game: Indiana 11.8 (5th), Ohio State 13.2 (8th).
- Total offense per game: Ohio State 503.5 yards (8th), Indiana 462.7 yards (20th)
- Passing offense per game: Ohio State 337.8 yards (4th), Indiana 241.3 yards (60th)
- Rushing offense per game: Indiana 221.3 yards (19th), Ohio State 165.7 yards (60th)
- Yards per play: Indiana 7.82 (3rd), Ohio State 7.33 (6th)
- Third-down conversion rate: Indiana 45.3% (12th), Ohio State 45.2% (10th)
- Fourth-down conversion rate: Ohio State 71.4%, Indiana 66.7%
- Total defense: Ohio State 246.8 yards allowed per game (5th), Indiana 263.5 yards allowed per game (12th)
When do Ohio State and Indiana football play?
Ohio State and Indiana play at noon Oct. 17.
Where to watch Ohio State vs. Indiana, TV channel, streaming
- Date: Oct. 17
- Time: Noon ET
- TV: Fox
- Streaming: Fox One, Fubo
The Ohio State-Indiana game will kick off after Fox's "Big Noon Kickoff" at noon. Streaming options for the game include Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State, Indiana to face off in Big Ten showdown. How they compare
