Three key takeaways from Ohio State's stunning loss in the Big Ten championship

The Buckeyes competed in the Big Ten championship for the first time since 2020, but could not capitalize against the new top seed in the College Football Playoffs.

No. 1 Ohio State took their first loss of the season 13-10 Saturday against the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers in a stout defensive battle at Lucas Oil Stadium. Despite the Buckeyes’ redzone defense shutting down multiple Hoosier possessions, quarterback Julian Sayin and Ohio State’s offense never found a rhythm to turn defensive stops into points.

Only scoring one touchdown late in the first quarter allowed Indiana to take the lead and keep the pressure on Ohio State, putting the Buckeyes in a position they have not been in all season.

Here’s a look at three key takeaways from the Buckeyes’ 3-point loss as they prepare and recoup ahead of the CFP.

Buckeyes dominant red zone defense isn’t enough

While in Ann Arbor, Michigan, during Ohio State’s win against the Wolverines, the Buckeyes prevented a 14-point lead thanks to the red zone protection. Against the Hoosiers, Ohio State was even more impressive, allowing just six points on three red zone possessions in the first half.

Unlike the Buckeyes’ win over their rivals, these shutdowns in the red zone did not discourage Indiana’s offense. Although the Buckeyes had the lead up until the middle of the third quarter, coach Curt Cignetti and the Indiana offense had control for the majority of the game.

Slowly chipping away against Ohio State, Hoosier quarterback Fernando Mendoza marched down the field on an eight play, 88-yard drive capped off by a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Elijah Sarratt. Letting up only one touchdown on four red zone drives and allowing 13 points, is typical for this top-ranked Ohio State defense. The issue for Ohio State, however, is that the offense could not match the same production.

Ohio State could not find an offensive rhythm

Looking at the stats, it wouldn’t appear the Buckeyes only put up 10 points. With Sayin completing 73 percent of his passes for 258 yards and running back Bo Jackson rushing for 83 yards on the ground, low conversion rate on downs and turnovers destroyed any chance for Ohio State to put points on the board.

Indiana’s defense ranks near the top in third-down conversion percentage, which showed against Ohio State, who went 0-for-4 on third downs in the first half. It didn’t get much better for the Buckeyes in the second, as they finished the game only converting 33 percent on third down.

Perhaps the biggest killer for Ohio State was an inability to convert a fourth-and-one on Indiana’s 5-yard line, forcing a turnover on downs after a Hoosier drive that put the Buckeyes behind.

Another early game interception for Sayin and a missed chip shot field goal didn’t help the Buckeyes’ situation either. All of this culminated in an uncharacteristic showing of Ohio State’s offense not seen since their 14-7 win against the Longhorns at the start of the season.

Ohio State must learn to play from behind

All season, one of the most notable statistics across college football was that Ohio State never trailed entering the second half. That changed Saturday when the Hoosiers took the lead from the Buckeyes and never gave it away.

A concern for Ohio State this year was if coach Ryan Day could guide the team with their backs against the wall, and during his first chance to do so, failed. With two opportunities inside of the Hoosiers’ 10-yard line, the Buckeyes were unable to pull off a comeback win, which is something Day must prepare for as his team enters the CFP.

It is better late than never for Ohio State to learn how to respond in critical moments, as the margin of error come playoff time disappears. We saw the Buckeyes enter the CFP last year after a loss, ironically another 13-10 game, and transformed into a completely different team. Whether or not Day has the ability this time around to respond will be on full display at the end of December.