Three halftime takeaways for Ohio State against Indiana in Indy

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The Ohio State Buckeyes are chasing their first Big Ten Championship title since 2020, and the Indiana Hoosiers are doing everything they can to keep that from happening. At halftime, though, Ohio State holds a 10–6 lead. Both Julian Sayin and Fernando Mendoza have thrown interceptions, but Sayin steadied himself with a touchdown strike to Carnell Tate, while Mendoza’s best answer was a drive that fizzled into a field goal. The Buckeyes’ defense has bent a few times but refused to break, keeping Indiana out of the end zone through two quarters.

Here are three things we saw through the first half between Ohio State and Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Indiana’s run defense has been solid

Indiana’s run defense has been outstanding all season and continues to show why. They’ve made things difficult for Ohio State’s offense, especially on the ground. Bo Jackson has been limited to 25 yards on seven carries, and the Buckeyes as a whole have managed only 19 rushing yards on 11 attempts. Sayin has also been sacked three times. If Ohio State wants to create more breathing room in the second half, it’ll have to find a way to establish the run.

Ohio State WRs Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate will be NFL Stars

Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate look every bit like future Sunday standouts. Through two quarters, Sayin has thrown exclusively to those two, and together they’ve accounted for all seven Buckeye receptions and 109 yards. Indiana dared to play them in single coverage early, and Ohio State made them pay. Tate hauled in a touchdown and has 25 yards on three grabs, while Smith has been dominant with four catches for 84 yards, including a 52-yard catch that set up a field goal. Sayin will keep looking their way after halftime, and we may see Brandon Inniss and Max Klare get involved as well.

The Ohio State defense is the best in America

This Ohio State defense is something special. Week after week, they rise to the moment, and tonight is no different. Sayin’s early interception put Indiana deep in Buckeye territory, but the defense held firm and forced a field goal. Matt Patricia’s unit once again pitched a first-half shutout in the touchdown column, with Sonny Styles and Caleb Downs flying all over the field. Davison Igbinosun added a crucial interception that set up the offense in scoring position. They’ll need to stay locked in, as Indiana has had some success on the ground with 79 rushing yards already, but so far, this defense continues to deliver when it matters most.

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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State vs Indiana in Indy: 3 halftime takeaways for the Buckeyes

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