Ryan Day Previews an Indiana Home Setting We've Never Seen Before

If you're looking at the college football schedule this fall, few games appear bigger a month before the season kicks off than when Indiana plays host to Ohio State on October 17.

The game will match up the last two national champions in what was the Big Ten Championship game last season.

Both teams will very possibly start the season ranked in the top five, and if things fall right, there is a decent chance it could be a No. 1 vs. No. 2 battle.

Bloomington, Indiana has hosted plenty of huge basketball games over the years but it's hard to find anything that remotely compares to what October 17 could bring.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day discussed exactly that during part of his press conference at Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday.

Ryan Day Previews Unique Pending Trip to Indiana

Ohio State was one of six teams that had its day in the sun at Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday, as the Buckeyes will again enter the season not only as one of the favorites in the conference, but also to compete for another national championship.

Day was asked straight up about Ohio State's trip to Bloomington this October, a trip that he knows will be unlike any the Buckeyes have made there previously.

"I think you know it's going to be a great environment," said Day. "We haven't played, since Coach Cignetti has been at Indiana, at Indiana, but I know the atmosphere there has changed and really ramped up."

"That'll be another game on the road that we're going to have to really prepare well for and play well."

Indiana's Troubling History Against Ohio State

As you would expect, Ohio State, the biggest blueblood in the Big Ten, and often undermanned Indiana have hardly been competitive against one another all-time.

Ohio State leads the all-time series over the Hoosiers, 80-13-5. Before Indiana won last year's showdown in the Big Ten Championship game, it had been since beating the Buckeyes back-to-back in 1987 and 1988 that Indiana won at all over its neighbors to the east.

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Thought

What's interesting in all of this is that the marquee home game during Indiana's climb really comes after the Hoosiers have already reached the summit.

Yes, there were the Washington and Michigan home games in 2024 that helped set the tone, but neither of those squads was anywhere near what Ohio State should be when it comes to town this October.

Last season's drubbing of Illinois was great, but that Fighting Illini team was also nowhere near the powerhouse that Ohio State figures to be this fall, as evidenced by the 63-10 drubbing that took place.

Whatever the case, the home game against Ohio State used to serve as a chance for pictures to be taken of a full house at Memorial Stadium, with a ton of fans decked out in red.

It'll be refreshing on October 17 to see Indiana logos on those red shirts instead of it all being Ohio State gear.

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