Ohio State Takes Control in the 2nd Half and Runs Over Indiana

Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15 on Saturday.

All Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, CFP No. 2) has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12.

The Turnaround

Late in the first half, Indiana punter James Evans fumbled a snap and was buried at his own 7-yardline with the Buckeyes taking over. That turned quickly into a 4-yard TD run by Henderson that gave the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead.

Early in the second half, Caleb Downs fielded an Evans punt at the Ohio State 21, raced down the right sideline, cut to the middle and outran the coverage for a TD that put the Buckeyes up 21-7. It was the first time a Buckeye returned a punt for a touchdown since 2014.

Howard finished 22 for 26 for 201 yards. Emeka Egbuka had seven catches for 80 yards and a TD.

The Buckeye Defense

Ohio State’s defense was dominant, sacking quarterback Kurtis Rourke five times and limiting Indiana to 151 total yards, the lowest output of the season for the Hoosiers.

“We had communication errors, pass (protection), every time we dropped back to pass, something bad happened,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said.

The Takeaway

Indiana: Its special season was blemished by the Buckeyes, who beat the Hoosiers for the 30th straight time. Indiana was eyeing its first conference crown since sharing one with two other teams in 1967. That won’t happen now.

“Ohio State deserved to win,” Cignetti said. “They had those (third quarter scores), and we just couldn’t respond.”

Ohio State: Didn’t waste the opportunities presented by the Hoosiers when they got sloppy. The Buckeyes led 14-7 at the break and took control in the second half. An offensive line patched together because of multiple injuries performed surprisingly well.

Poll Implications

Some voters were obviously unsure of Indiana because it hadn’t played a nationally ranked team before Ohio State. After this one, the Hoosiers will drop.

All About Will

Howard made history by completing 80% of his passes for the sixth time this season. No other Ohio State quarterback has done that.

“I think Buckeye nation is now seeing, after 11 games, that this guy is a winner, he’s tough, he cares about his teammates, he’s a leader,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said.

Up Next

Indiana hosts Purdue in the regular-season finale next Saturday.

Ohio State hosts rival Michigan on Saturday.

Conclusion

Ohio State’s dominant performance in the second half secured a 38-15 victory over Indiana, setting up a clash with Michigan in the final week of the regular season. With the win, the Buckeyes remain in the hunt for the Big Ten championship and a potential rematch with Oregon.

FAQs

• What was the final score in the game?
  • Ohio State won 38-15
• How many games do the Buckeyes need to win to earn a return to the Big Ten championship game?
  • 1
• Who will the Buckeyes face in their next game?
  • Michigan