How did Ohio State football grade out vs Indiana?

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How did Ohio State football grade out vs Indiana?

Ohio State football lost to Indiana for the first time since 1980, falling in the Big Ten championship game 13-10 on Dec. 6.

The battle between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country lived up to expectations, with No. 2 Indiana likely usurping the top seed in the College Football Playoff after beating the Buckeyes. Ohio State failed to score in the red zone on two of four tries, ultimately the difference between two defensive juggernauts.

In the fourth quarter, Ohio State kicker Jayden Fielding missed a 27-yard field goal attempt, giving the Hoosiers, who led by three, possession with two minutes remaining. Indiana sealed the game when Heisman Trophy favorite Fernando Mendoza completed a 33-yard pass to Charlie Becker. Ohio State had 18 seconds to drive downfield on its final possession and came up short.

How did the Buckeyes grade out in the Big Ten championship? Leaves are awarded on a zero-to-five basis.

Ohio State offense (1 leaf)

Red zone offense, a common struggle for the Buckeyes throughout the season, became relevant when Ohio State failed to convert on fourth down within the 10-yard line in the third quarter in a one-score game.

The red zone offense was not the only failure. Just like in the Michigan game, Julian Sayin threw an interception on the Buckeyes’ first offensive possession. The Ohio State defense held Indiana to a field goal when starting at the 23-yard line, but the gifted points loomed large in a three-point loss.

Not only did Ohio State struggle to get the ball downfield, but the offensive line collapsed and the Hoosiers continually got to Sayin, who was sacked five times. Sayin was sacked six times in Ohio State’s regular season.

The Buckeyes did not convert on third down once in the first half and converted just four of 11 third-down tries in the game. While some players on paper had good stat lines, highlighted by Jeremiah Smith’s eight receptions for 144 yards, the inability to get short yardage in the red zone cost Ohio State the game.

Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) throws during the first half of the Big Ten Conference championship game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2025.

Ohio State defense (3 leaves)

Ohio State held Indiana to its lowest point total of the season thanks to its stout red zone defense. Two of the three times the Hoosiers got to the red zone in the first half, they lost yardage on the first-down play.

The major cause of Indiana’s offensive struggles was unrelenting pressure by the defense. Ultimately, the Hoosiers prevailed. Mendoza showed his first Heisman-worthy throw in the second half, completing a 51-yard pass down the middle of the field with Lorenzo Styles Jr. guarding in single coverage. The Hoosiers tried a deep ball earlier in the game with Styles Jr. on coverage that drew pass interference, and the gamble later pushed the Hoosiers into the red zone for their first successful touchdown trip of the game in the third quarter for a 13-10 lead.

After Fielding’s missed field goal, Mendoza threw the dagger. On third down, Mendoza found Becker down the right hash marks in single coverage for 33 yards, getting the Hoosiers out of their own territory and continuing to run the clock. Ohio State’s defense played well against the No. 1 scoring offense in the country, but Mendoza got the better of the Buckeyes in the end.

Ohio State special teams (2 leaves)

Tasked to tie the ball game with two minutes remaining, Fielding shanked a short 27-yard field goal wide left.

Ohio State Buckeyes kicker Jayden Fielding (38) reacts to missing a field goal during the Big Ten Conference championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2025. Ohio State lost 13-10.

Punter Joe McGuire landed all three of his punts within the 20-yard line and gave Indiana poor starting field position on three offensive drives.

Ohio State coaching (1 leaf)

Coaching decisions on both Ohio State third-and-1-yard situations within the 10-yard line cost Ohio State the game. Both times, the Buckeyes called pass plays. Neither worked.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day watches during the first half of the Big Ten Conference championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2025.

The game-changing moments for Ohio State were on a failed fourth-down sneak attempt by Sayin and the missed field goal try by Fielding. But neither of those plays happen if Ohio State gets a yard of offense on third down.

Indiana (5 leaves)

You could argue this is Indiana football’s most impressive win in program history, reversing a 30-game losing streak against Ohio State.

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti hoists the trophy following their win over the Ohio State Buckeyes following the Big Ten Conference championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2025. Ohio State lost 13-10.

But historical stats are not the most impressive feat of the Hoosiers. Coach Curt Cignetti turned around the losingest program in FBS history into the likely No. 1 team in the country in just two years. The Hoosiers had a chance to earn a program signature win, and they did.

Mendoza outplayed Sayin with success in high-leverage moments and will become the likely Heisman winner. He had multiple big throws, but the 51-yard pass to Becker and the touchdown pass to Elijah Sarratt on the Hoosiers’ lone touchdown drive sealed the deal.

Fun factor (5 leaves)

The No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country faced off on a neutral field (in Indiana). It delivered the prestige of a heavyweight boxing match going the distance.

Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Charlie Becker (80) catches a pass in front of Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Devin Sanchez (6) during the first half of the Big Ten Conference championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2025.

While Buckeye fans may feel differently about how much fun they had, the intensity of the game cannot be denied, especially when all of Ohio State’s previous games felt over by the start of the fourth quarter. Defense dominated the game, but it did not deprive the game of highlight plays and a high-stakes finish.

Officials (3 leaves)

While the officials did not end up determining the outcome of the game, there were some clear missed calls on both the Ohio State and Indiana offensive lines that seemed egregious.

For the most part, officiating on flags was even both ways. The most questionable call was calling a play dead when Sayin clearly escaped a sack, with the officials ruling that forward progress had been stopped.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football vs Indiana| How OSU grades in Big Ten championship

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