Why Ohio State's Latest AP Ranking Sets Up Perfect Storm Entering Indiana Rematch

The Buckeyes' biggest stretch of the season begins this coming Saturday in Bloomington.

Oct 10, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day takes the team out of the tunnel before the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Ohio State Buckeyes have maintained their standard of excellence in the Big Ten thus far this season, extending their winning streak to four with a 45-16 win against the Maryland Terrapins Saturday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio.

Even though it wasn't the cleanest game of football from the Buckeyes (5-1, 3-0 Big Ten), they handled business when it mattered most against the Terrapins (2-4, 0-3 Big Ten), a team that had yet to showcase any significant progress in conference play thus far under the direction of eighth-year coach Mike Locksley.

However, Locksley was quick to credit coach Ryan Day's consistency in maintaining expectations for the Buckeyes' championship excellence.

“Ohio State is really deserving of their ranking; they made the plays they needed to make," Locksley told reporters.

What's Next for Ohio State's Playoff Hopes?

An Ohio State Buckeyes helmet sits behind the endzone as the team warms up for its game against the Michigan Wolverines during the NCAA football game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. on Nov. 29, 2025. Ohio State won 27-9. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Mental errors, even against a team like Maryland, are unacceptable on Day's watch.

"And so we've got to get this stuff fixed," Day said regarding pre-snap miscues, among other situations. "And some of these penalties don't always come up in practice, the late hits on the quarterback and things like this. They have to be addressed and they have to understand how important those are. It can't just be, "Hey, get them again next time.' That's not how it goes. There's too much at stake here. And it's my job as the coach to make sure that I can challenge those guys."

Speaking of challenges, the Week 6 AP Poll rankings were released Sunday ahead of this Saturday's Big Ten title game rematch with the Indiana Hoosiers. The Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) rallied from a 17-6 road deficit against the then-unbeaten Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) Saturday to win 20-17 in a thrilling fourth-quarter finish in Lincoln.

It may be too early to label the Ohio State-Indiana matchup as a game to eliminate a conference title contender. However, the latest poll indicates just how big the game actually is. Ohio State moved up to No. 4, while the Hoosiers got much-needed help as No. 1 Texas fell to Oklahoma and UCLA stunned then-ranked No. 12 Oregon in Eugene.

Tying the results together, the Hoosiers jumped two spots to No. 5, as both teams now sit as the two highest-ranked Big Ten teams to date, to go alongside the No. 12-ranked Bruins (up nine spots), the No. 17-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes (up three spots), No. 19 USC Trojans and the newest entry, the No. 25 Northwestern Wildcats.

There is still much more to be decided but Hoosiers-Buckeyes part two has all the makings of a classic.