Why Indiana's defense will be Ohio State's toughest test yet

With how smoothly the Buckeyes’ offense has operated, it is difficult to think of a scenario where it could slip up. Indiana’s defense is exactly where the offense could falter.

With how much hype Ohio State’s scoring defense has gotten, only allowing a nation-best 7.8 points per game, Indiana is right behind the Buckeyes at 10.9.

However, in the closing weeks of the regular season, the running game, which was the one hole in the armor for a majority of the year, started to heat up.

Back-to-back games against UCLA and Rutgers with over 200 rushing yards, spearheaded by leading rusher Bo Jackson, changed the narrative. That, paired with the 186 against Michigan, including an 11-minute drive to kill the Wolverines’ playoff hopes, brings momentum on the ground full steam ahead.

Through the air, wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate didn’t seem to skip a beat against Michigan and will continue to ramp up their production in a game where the stakes are sky-high.

With a country-best 77.9 completion percentage, redshirt freshman Julian Sayin continues to dissect defenses.

There has not been much of an answer on how to slow down a versatile Buckeyes offense, but Indiana has the best chance to do so with a strong run defense that leads to a shutdown secondary when teams opt to air the ball out.

Not only do the Hoosiers boast one of the top rushing defenses, allowing 79.3 yards on the ground, but they also rank second in the nation, only behind Texas Tech’s incredibly low 68.9.

Given that the Buckeyes have not run the ball as effectively as they have wanted to during points of the season, colliding with a brick wall of a front seven can cause problems, especially since Ohio State will want to come out and control the clock.

Kent State transfer Stephen Daley has been the main wrecking ball of the defensive line, totaling a country-best 18 tackles for loss. Only 4.5 of those came off sacks, paired with two forced fumbles.

That means 13.5 came from stops in the backfield, something the Buckeyes will need to look out for, especially with a vulnerable right side of the offensive line.

Isaiah Jones (12 tackles for loss), Rolijah Hardy (11.5) and Tyrique Tucker (10) all pose threats to the Ohio State running game in addition to Daley’s presence. Where Indiana thrives is having players at all levels able to disrupt and completely alter running plays.

Hardy, on the other hand, also does something that few teams have succeeded at this season, sacking and pressuring Sayin.

Hardy’s seven sacks lead the team, and he has put plenty of opposing quarterbacks in distress coming off the edge this season.

The Hoosiers’ 34 sacks as a team rank second in the Big Ten, only one behind Minnesota.

Having a defense that gets to the quarterback and forces turnovers with ease helps keep offenses in games, and for Indiana, both units are efficient and play to their strengths.

The Hoosiers are averaging allowing one touchdown every other game. Backed by a strong secondary that has 16 interceptions, even the best offenses have struggled.

Cornerback D’Angelo Ponds has been a cornerstone of a defense that has dominated over the past two years, currently graded as the fifth-best cornerback in college football by Pro Football Focus with a 90.1 grade.

Although the pass defense is slightly more vulnerable, it is still not weak, allowing slightly over 172 passing yards per game.

If Ohio State wants to repeat as national champions, it will have to blast through Indiana at least once on its way back. It is easier said than done, but if the Buckeyes can rely on a big run or two early in the game, it will open up a passing attack that has yet to be stopped in 2025.

The Buckeyes will meet the Hoosiers in the Big Ten Championship on Dec. 6, with the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff on the line.