Three keys to Ohio State claiming first Big Ten title in five years against Indiana

The moment is finally here: the number one-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes against the number two-ranked Indiana Hoosiers for the Big Ten Championship.

This game features the Buckeyes and Hoosiers, both 12-0 on the season and poised to make a run at the national championship. There's a strong chance that the winner takes the top seed in the College Football Playoffs and the loser might still find themselves in the top four.

College football fans are looking forward to watching the best defense in the nation, with Ohio State, face off against arguably the best offense in the country, with Indiana. There are three things the Buckeyes have to do to ensure that they stay at the top and win their first Big Ten title in five years.

Despite Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate being healthy, run the ball early and often

The temptation will be there for Ohio State to want to throw it more than run the ball with star wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, one more week healthier. Their plan shouldn't be to force-feed Smith and Tate; the focus should be on running the football more.

After some inconsistencies in the first half of the season, the Buckeyes' running game has come to life over the last three games. They have rushed for 222 yards against UCLA, 254 yards against Rutgers, and 186 yards against the Michigan Wolverines.

Bo Jackson and Isaiah West have been the catalysts behind the success of the running game, so Ohio State shouldn't sleep on the running game. With more stability on the offensive line and a consistent running game, the Buckeyes can use this to their advantage by winning the time of possession and keeping the Hoosiers' offense off the field.

Get pressure on Fernando Mendoza through exotic blitzes

Buckeyes defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has been a mad scientist at Ohio State, building a beast of a unit. They are currently first in the nation in total defense (203), first in pass defense (121.3), fourth in rush defense (81.7), and first in points allowed per game (7.8).

Ohio State will obviously lean on its top guys like Caden Curry, Arvell Reese, Kenyatta Jackson Jr., and Kayden McDonald to step up in the front seven, but the Buckeyes need more than that. Patricia has brought an NFL-style system to college football and has proven that it works.

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza looks like a Heisman Trophy winner, but the Buckeyes have to get creative in getting to him, as he's only been sacked 15 times this season. With Patricia having the best defensive player in the nation in his secondary, safety Caleb Downs could be a key to bring up to the box and make life miserable for Mendoza.

Let Julian Sayin rip it

There have been times this season when Big Ten Freshman of the Year Sayin has been held back from going deep, especially when he didn't have Smith and Tate in the lineup. Sayin might be one of the few quarterbacks in college football who can throw a pretty deep ball.

With a conference title and Heisman Trophy on the line, the Buckeyes should not be conservative with their passing plays. This is the time when Sayin should be throwing the deep balls when the Hoosiers least expect.

Despite Indiana having the second-best scoring defense in the nation, Sayin has been one of the most accurate quarterbacks in college football, completing 78.9% of his passes, and is first in the country in QBR with 91.4. Let Sayin control the game and prove his worth in the biggest game of the season.