Ohio State and its ability to protect quarterback Julian Sayin could determine whether the Buckeyes leave Bloomington with a victory Saturday.
The host of the Locked On Hoosiers podcast, Jacob Goins, identified Indiana’s defensive front as the matchup’s biggest factor, particularly with Ohio State navigating offensive line availability concerns.
Indiana sacked Sayin five times in last season’s Big Ten championship game. Jacob believes this year’s defensive line is deeper and better, with approximately 12 players rotating across the front. “Indiana must get constant pressure on Julian Sayin,” Goins said.
That pressure could also help the Hoosiers contain receiver Jeremiah Smith by limiting the time Sayin has to find him downfield. Still, Indiana
enters with vulnerabilities of its own. The Hoosiers rallied from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Nebraska 20-17 last week, demonstrating composure while exposing potential weaknesses.
Nebraska challenged Indiana outside the numbers, and the host pointed to communication problems and missed assignments in the secondary as areas Ohio State could attack.
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On offense, Indiana needs a stronger rushing performance after managing just 65 yards against Nebraska.
“The offensive line for Indiana has to be more physical this Saturday vs. Ohio State,” Goins said.
Another difficult afternoon on the ground could leave quarterback Josh Hoover carrying too much of the offense. Hoover enters with 17 touchdown passes and no interceptions, but Jacob said his next step is sustaining his execution across four quarters.
Quick throws to Indiana’s playmakers could create opportunities for deeper passes against Ohio State.
The challenge reflects how dramatically coach Curt Cignetti has elevated Indiana following last season’s conference and national championships. “Indiana fans have completely changed their tune on expectations for football,” Goins said.
For the Buckeyes, meeting those heightened expectations starts at the line of scrimmage: protecting Sayin, disrupting Hoover and preventing Indiana’s defensive depth from controlling the afternoon.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State faces Indiana pass rush with plenty to prove
