It seems like the offseason just began yesterday, but in the blink of an eye, it’s game week.
Ohio State will travel to Indiana on Saturday to kick off the season, set for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on CBS from Memorial Stadium. Check back every Monday at BuckeyeSports.com for a brief preview of the Buckeyes’ upcoming opponent, with stories and features throughout the week.
OPPONENT: Indiana Hoosiers (4-8, 2-7 Big Ten last season)
Head coach Tom Allen returns for his seventh season at Indiana, but that’s about the only thing that returns for the Hoosiers. Indiana’s roster has undertaken a dramatic turnaround through the transfer portal, but it remains to be seen if the new blood within the program will the Hoosiers rebound after just two conference wins over the past two seasons.
Like Ohio State, Indiana has not announced a starting quarterback, though that’s about the last of the comparisons between these teams. The Hoosiers are looking at either Tayven Jackson or Brendan Sorsby, both redshirt freshman, to lead the offense this season. Improvement will be a must for Indiana’s offense that averaged just 23.2 points, 217.4 passing yards and 328.2 yards of total offense last season.
Indiana did not fare much better on defense, allowing 33.9 points and 449.2 total yards of offense per game, both among the lowest marks in the conference. While the Hoosiers’ defense struggled last season, not much returns from that side of the ball with only two returning starters.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
- DL Andre Carter – The gem of Indiana’s transfer class was former Western Michigan defensive lineman Andre Carter, who posted 132 tackles (28 for loss), 12.5 sacks and five forced fumbles in five season with the Broncos.
- WR Cam Camper – The Hoosiers will welcome back wideout Cam Camper, who was lost midway through last season with a torn ACL. But prior to his injury, he led Indiana with 46 receptions for 569 yards and two touchdowns.
- LB Aaron Casey – Indiana’s defense will be led by sixth-year senior linebacker Aaron Casey, who hit career highs last season with 86 tackles (10.5 for loss) with 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
GAME INFO: Memorial Stadium, 3:30 p.m., CBS
Ohio State will open the season on the road at a Big Ten opponent for the third time in the last seven season, with the Buckeyes also playing at Indiana in 2017 and at Minnesota in 2021. They have not lost a season opener since 1999, with the ninth-ranked Buckeyes falling by a 23-12 margin at No. 12 Miami.
The game will also be notable not only because it kicks off Ohio State’s season, but because this will be the first time the Buckeyes have played on CBS since their season opener at West Virginia in 1998. As part of the conference’s new media rights deal, Ohio State will also appear on NBC and Peacock throughout the season.
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the 96th meeting between Ohio State and Indiana, with the Buckeyes holding a 78-12-5 record in the series.
The series has been especially dominant over the past several decades, with Ohio State currently on a 27-game winning streak against the Hooisers. Indiana has not beaten the Buckeyes since 1988, a 41-7 win in Bloomington.
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time/Result | TV/Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 2 | at Indiana | Bloomington, Ind. | W, 23-3 | CBS |
| Sept. 9 | Youngstown State | Columbus | W, 35-7 | BTN |
| Sept. 16 | Western Kentucky | Columbus | W, 63-10 | FOX |
| Sept. 23 | at Notre Dame | South Bend. Ind. | W, 17-14 | NBC/Peacock |
| Oct. 7 | Maryland | Columbus | W, 37-17 | FOX |
| Oct. 14 | at Purdue | West Lafayette, Ind. | W, 41-7 | Peacock |
| Oct. 21 | Penn State | Columbus | W, 20-12 | FOX |
| Oct. 28 | at Wisconsin | Madison, Wisc. | W, 24-10 | NBC |
| Nov. 4 | at Rutgers | Piscataway, N.J. | W, 35-16 | CBS |
| Nov. 11 | Michigan State | Columbus | W, 38-3 | NBC/Peacock |
| Nov. 18 | Minnesota | Columbus | W, 37-3 | BTN |
| Nov. 25 | at Michigan | Ann Arbor, Mich. | L, 30-24 | FOX |
| Dec. 29 | Cotton Bowl vs. Missouri | Arlington, Texas | L, 14-3 | ESPN |
