Ohio State vs. Indiana: Three Bold Predictions for High-Stakes Big Ten Championship

The top two teams in the nation will battle for Big Ten supremacy on Saturday.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin will face-off against Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza in an excellent quarterback battle during the Big Ten Championship. / Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The matchup we’ve all been waiting for is finally upon us.

On Saturday, No. 1 Ohio State will take on No. 2 Indiana in the Big Ten championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. It’s a battle that will pit the final two undefeated FBS teams against each other for conference supremacy. The Buckeyes and Hoosiers have been the two best teams all season, so it’s only fitting that they’ll face off in what could be a preview of the national title game.

The game carries a ton of intrigue. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin are leading Heisman contenders, and this game could decide the award.

Last season, Ryan Day and the Buckeyes dominated the Hoosiers 38-15 in Columbus on their way to winning a national championship. Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers will be out for revenge on Saturday.

Here’s a look at three bold predictions for the game.

Indiana’s defense will keep it in the game

Ohio State has the top scoring defense in college football this season, allowing an astonishingly low 7.8 points per game. Have a guess who’s in second place? That’s right, Indiana.

The Hoosiers are only allowing 10.9 points per game this season, and it isn’t a fluke. Indiana hasn’t allowed more than 24 points in a game this season, and that came on the road against Penn State. Oregon has averaged 38.2 points per game this season, but the Hoosiers marched into Autzen Stadium and beat the Ducks 30-20. Seven of those Oregon points came on a pick-six.

Indiana’s front is deep and experienced, led by first-team All-Big Ten picks in tackle Tyrique Tucker and linebacker Aidan Fisher. Cornerback D’Angelo Ponds and safety Louis Moore are fellow first-teamers, while linebacker Rolijah Hardy made the second team. In short, the Hoosiers are loaded on defense and should get a boost from the crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Expect the defense to keep the Hoosiers in the game.

It will come down to the final 10 minutes

It’s hard to see this game being a repeat of the 38-15 beatdown Ohio State authored at the Horseshoe last season. Both teams have loaded, opportunistic defenses and multiple skill position players who will play on Sundays. Most critically, they also have two of the best signal-callers in the country.

The quarterback battle will be fascinating, as the veteran Fernando Mendoza will duel with first-year starter Julian Sayin. The two can both lay claim to being the best in the nation this season, and this game could legitimately be the difference in the Heisman Trophy race.

This should be a tight game between two loaded teams. Expect it to come down to the final few minutes.

Ohio State’s receivers will be the difference

The Buckeyes have one clear advantage over Indiana: their receivers. The Hoosiers have an outstanding secondary, but Ohio State has two future first-rounders at wideout. Junior Carnell Tate could be a top 10 pick this season, and sophomore Jeremiah Smith might be the best player in college football. He’s legitimately in the mix to be the top overall pick in the 2027 NFL draft.

Smith has 72 receptions for 942 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, while Tate has racked up 44 catches for 793 yards and eight scores. In case that wasn’t enough, the Buckeys also boast first-team All-Big Ten tight end Max Klare, who had 41 receptions for 420 yards and two touchdowns this season. That trio makes the game easy for Sayin, who is already an outstanding quarterback.

Indiana won’t be able to contain Smith and Tate for 60 minutes. In the end, their play will be the difference in the game.

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