3 & Out: Ohio State aims to snap Indiana’s winning streak
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First Down
Players to watch for Indiana
1) Josh Hoover
Replacing a Heisman Trophy winner the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is a tall task. So far Josh Hoover has done a great job at keeping the Indiana offense humming after the depart of Fernando Mendoza.
In his first six games as a Hoosier, Hoover has thrown 17 touchdown passes and no interceptions. The TCU transfer is one of just two quarterbacks with at least 15 touchdowns and no interceptions this season, with Darian Mensah of Miami being the other.
Hoover is an experienced quarterback so there is not much that rattles him, as evidenced by the fourth quarter comeback last week against Nebraska. Entering this week’s game, Hoover has made 37 starts between his time at TCU and Indiana.
2) Charlie Becker/Nick Marsh
You can’t mention one of these wide receivers for the Hoosiers without acknowledging the other. The duo has combined for 59 catches, over 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns through the first six games of the season.
Charlie Becker is a 6-foot-4 receiver who seems to catch anything thrown in his vicinity. In last year’s Big Ten Championship Game, Becker was a massive reason why Indiana won, finishing with six catches for 126 yards in the 13-10 win.
Nick Marsh began his college career at Michigan State before transferring to Indiana during the offseason. Marsh was the difference last week in the comeback against Nebraska, hauling in a 75-yard touchdown, followed by a 44-yard score in the fourth quarter against the Cornhuskers.
3) Stephen Daley
After spending three years at Kent State, Stephen Daley transferred to Indiana ahead of the 2025 season. Daley was a key part of the defensive line of the Hoosiers last year, recording 5.5 sacks before suffering an ankle injury celebrating the win over Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game, causing him to miss the College Football Playoff.
After thinking his college career was over, Daley was granted a temporary restraining order, allowing him to capitalize on the proposed ““five-for-five” rule. Daley has appeared in five games this year, registering 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
With Ohio State’s offensive line dealing with the potential absence of tackle Austin Siereveld, Daley is likely licking his chops about his ability to get to quarterback Julian Sayin. If the Hoosiers end up winning, Daley’s celebration will be a lot more muted than back in December.
Second Down
Keys for Ohio State
1) Don’t beat yourselves
Last week the Buckeyes weren’t exactly crisp in their 45-16 win over Maryland. Penalties and turnovers are things the Buckeyes can’t afford to commit if they have any designs on beating the Hoosiers.
What makes Indiana especially dangerous is Curt Cignetti’s team doesn’t hurt themselves. Since taking over in Bloomington, it feels like opponents have to play a perfect game to beat Cignetti’s squad.
If Ohio State isn’t focused they’ll have a hard time snapping the 22-game winning streak the Hoosiers are currently on. Committing self-destructing penalties will only make things tougher for the Buckeyes.
2) Win the turnover battle
If you’re looking for a reason why Cignetti’s has been able to turn around the Indiana program so quickly, at the top of the list is how Indiana wins the turnover battle each week. The Hoosiers have either tied or won the turnover battle in 30 straight games, which is the longest streak in the FBS since at least 1995.
So far this season the Buckeyes have done a good job at not turning the football over, sitting at plus-five in turnover ratio. Three of the five turnovers they have committed were when backup quarterbacks Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair were in the game with Ohio State in control of games.
What has been most impressive this year is the Buckeyes have yet to lose a fumble, whole recovering six of their opponents fumbles. In a game that is likely to go down to the wire, a team putting the ball on the ground could end up deciding the showdown.
3) Come up big in crunch time
Earlier in the season Ohio State blew a golden opportunity to beat Texas, squandering a 23-3 lead in the fourth quarter in Austin. The Buckeyes have to learn from their mistakes late against the Longhorns and put away the top-five opponent they’ll be facing this week if they are ahead in the second half.
A deficit doesn’t seem to bother the Hoosiers. Last year Fernando Mendoza had his Heisman moment when he engineered a fourth quarter win at Penn State. Last week Hoover channeled Mendoza when Indiana erased a 17-7 Nebraska lead in the final quarter of the game in Lincoln.
The comeback over the Cornhuskers was the first by a team of at least 10 points to extend a winning streak of 20 or more games since the thrilling comeback by Vince Young and Texas against USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl.
Third Down
Notable Ohio State/Indiana connections
1) Bryant Haines
The current defensive coordinator of the Hoosiers had a cup of coffee as a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 2013, where he worked with the Buckeyes linebackers. After leaving Ohio State, Haines’ next stop was at IUP on Curt Cignetti’s staff.
Aside from a year at UC Davis in 2016, Haines has been attached to Cignetti, following him to Elon, James Madison, and finally Indiana. Last season Haines won the Broyles Award as the best assistant coach in the country.
Along with spending a year at Ohio State, Haines has roots in Ohio. The Indiana defensive coordinator was born in London and played high school football in Piqua.
2) Bobby Knight
”The General” was born in Massillon and would attend college in-state, playing for Ohio State from 1959-62. Knight was part of the 1960 team that won an NCAA title, as well as the 1961 team that lost in the championship game to Cincinnati.
In 1971 Knight was hired as head coach of Indiana, a position he would hold until September 2000. While in Bloomington, Knight was 662-239 as head coach of the Hoosiers. Knight was at the helm for three national title runs at Indiana.
Overall as a head coach Knight registered 902 wins and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
3) Tara VanDerveer
The legendary women’s college basketball coach attended Indiana from 1972-75 after starting her college playing career at Albany. While in Bloomington she enrolled in Bobby Knight’s coaching classes, where she learned some of the techniques she would use when she became a head coach.
Following two years coaching at Idaho, VanDerveer was hired by Ohio State. VanDerveer would spend five seasons coaching in Columbus, leading the Buckeyes to three NCAA Tournament appearance, including a run to the Elite Eight in 1985.
VanDerveer would go on to become one of the winngest coaches in colllege basketball history, posting a 1,216-271 record. While at Stanford, VanDerveer would lead the Cardinal to three national titles.
& Out
Prediction: 30-23, Ohio State
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