Indiana Defense Shredded for 662 Yards, Williams Replaces Bazelak in 56-14 Loss
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Tom Allen and the Indiana defense had no answer for Heisman candidate quarterback CJ Stroud and the explosive Ohio State offense on Saturday.
Ohio State cruised to a 56-14 win over Indiana to remain undefeated with hopes of a national championship, while Indiana dropped its seventh consecutive game of the 2022 season.
Ohio State generated 662 yards of total offense on Saturday, which represents the most yards allowed by an Indiana defense since a 51-3 loss to Wisconsin in 2013 when the Badgers gained 676 yards. Tackling has been a constant issue for Indiana this season, and that continued on Saturday inside a snowy Ohio Stadium.
Ohio State out-gained Indiana 662 to 269 thanks to a balanced attack. Stroud completed 17-of-28 passes for 297 yards and five touchdowns, and running backs Miyan Williams and Dallan Hayden combined for 249 yards and two touchdowns on 34 carries, good for 7.3 yards per carry. Indiana's tackling issues were exposed most clearly when Xavier Johnson zigzagged his way to a 71-yard touchdown.
"Just not enough hats to the ball, not enough guys finishing plays at the point of attack," Indiana coach Tom Allen said. "Didn't think we fit the run even close to what's acceptable, so really disappointed in that regard."
The Buckeyes kept it on the ground early in the game, gashing Indiana for runs of 32 and 18 yards on the second drive. Stroud found Emeka Egbuka in a soft spot on the Indiana defense for a 6-yard touchdown to open the scoring. Touchdowns from Hayden and Marvin Harrison Jr. gave the Buckeyes a 21-0 lead before Indiana could blink, and for Allen, it was time for a switch.
Following a trio of three-and-out possessions to start the game, Allen pulled the trigger on a quarterback change. He benched nine-game starter Connor Bazelak, who completed 3-of-5 passes for 12 yards, in favor of redshirt sophomore Dexter Williams II.
Williams showed bits of promise throughout the game, though his effort wasn't enough to keep the game close by any means. He picked up 16 yards with his feet on the first play of the game, zipped a 49-yard pass to Andison Coby down the seam and threw touchdown passes to AJ Barner and Donaven McCulley.
Williams proved he can be a threat with his feet against a talented Ohio State defense, rushing 16 times for 42 yards, which includes yards lost from four sacks. While it's clear Williams lacks polish as a passer, completing 6-of-19 attempts for 107 yards and two touchdowns, his speed and agility adds a different dimension to the Indiana offense.
"[Having a quarterback that can run] takes pressure off your offensive line in both the pass game and run game," Allen said. "I think any time you have a guy that has the ability to do both it can help you, as long as they can throw the ball with a high enough accuracy to allow you to throw the ball well. Dexter has shown flashes of that, needs to be more consistent in those areas. When you have a guy that can stress the defense with his legs, it does put more pressure on the defense, without question.
At this point, Indiana knows what it has with Bazelak – an inconsistent, inaccurate passer with limited mobility behind a shaky offensive line. When asked if Dexter is the starter moving forward, or if there will be a competition, Allen kept it short, saying, "We will evaluate that as a staff, but I liked what Dexter today."
Next up for Indiana is a road trip to East Lansing, Mich. for a matchup with Michigan State. The Spartans hold a 5-5 overall record this season, with a 3-4 mark in Big Ten play. Michigan State defeated the Hoosiers 20-15 in 2021, and is coming off a 27-21 win over Rutgers.
Related stories on Indiana football:
- WHAT TOM ALLEN SAID: Indiana head coach Tom Allen addresses the media following the Hoosiers' 56-14 loss to Ohio State in Columbus. Read his full transcript, or just watch the attached video of the full press conference. CLICK HERE
- LIVE BLOG: Indiana football (3-6) takes on No. 2 Ohio State (9-0) at Noon ET on Saturday in Columbus, Ohio. Here's our live blog, where you can follow along with our live updates from the Ohio Stadium press box. CLICK HERE
