The-Ozone Staff Picks: Indiana at Ohio State

Under Urban Meyer, Ohio State has only covered the spread once against Indiana, and somehow that came last season when they were 20.5-point favorites over the Hoosiers and trailed 21-20 in the third quarter.

This week they are 26.5-point favorites, which means there is very little chance the Buckeyes win by more than 24.

Will the staff picks reflect this knowledge? Heck, I don’t even know if mine will.

Indiana is okay on both offense and defense. Will an okay defense focused on the run be able to contain the Buckeye running game? Perhaps. Will an okay offense be able to make a couple of big plays against the Ohio State defense? Probably.

Will all of that be enough to keep it within 27 points?

Let’s see what we think.

Tony Gerdeman

We don’t know if Indiana’s offense will be at full power, as receivers Whop Philyor and Luke Timian are game-time decisions. Without them, the Hoosier offense will be missing to of its top playmakers, which would be very good news for a Buckeye defense that has seen more big plays than Broadway.

Urban Meyer says Indiana’s defense has answers for everything, which may be true, but they don’t necessarily have the talent to provide the correct answers. They are second in the B1G in pass defense, allowing just 163.6 yards per game. Of course, the best passing team they’ve played this season has been Michigan State, which isn’t saying a whole lot.

The key for the OSU passing game will be protecting Dwayne Haskins and Tate Martell. The Hoosiers sacked MSU three times and Rutgers twice, which was only slightly above average for both teams. Ohio State is third in the B1G in sacks allowed (1.4/gm), so Haskins should have time to hit everyone he needs to. I have very little idea of what to expect from the running game, other than when the Buckeyes absolutely need yards, they’ll get them.

Ohio State 45, Indiana 17

Caroline Rice

We’re going to see two really good quarterbacks on Saturday. Indiana’s Peyton Ramsey is No. 1 in the Big Ten in completion percentage and Dwayne Haskins is right behind him at No. 2. I think Haskins is going to look good, but I’m expecting to see a lot of Tate Martell in this game. I also think this is an opportunity for Ohio State to let some guys heal and rest up.

Indiana’s defense is where they will make an impact on this game. The Hoosiers have 10 forced fumbles, which leads the Big Ten. Last week, they scored 18 of their 21 points off of Michigan State’s miscues. I could see that happening again this weekend. Defensively, they have good schemes and will force the Buckeyes to make mistakes and they will take advantage of those.

But I don’t think Ohio State’s defense is going to let Ramsey make plays like he is used to. Indiana hasn’t played a team of Ohio State’s caliber this season and while they have won four games so far, I don’t think they can compete against OSU unless the Buckeyes give them that opportunity.

Indiana has 23 straight losses to OSU and I don’t see how their team this year could change that and give the Hoosiers a win.

Ohio State 52, Indiana 21

Brandon Zimmerman

The offense won’t be as explosive this week, but it won’t be a big deal. As much as everyone can say there won’t be a hangover from the Penn State game, there will be. It won’t cause Ohio State to lose, but guys are beat up and emotionally drained. Not only from Penn State but from TCU only a few weeks ago.

I really hope Ohio State gets the run game going and runs for around 300 yards. The offensive line needs a dominant performance to boost their run blocking confidence a little.

On the defensive side of the ball, I hope we all finally get to see Shaun Wade at strong safety. Enough of the talk about him practicing there. Make the move. They have a giant weakness and a few games to fix it before competition really picks up again.

Ohio State 52 Indiana 13

Tom Orr

Picture “Indiana football” in your head.

Everything you’re thinking right now is pretty much exactly wrong for the 2018 season. You’re probably picturing a dangerous offense and porous defense that plays a lot of high-scoring, but losing games.

This year’s Hoosiers have a solid defense, but boring and ineffective offense. Oh, and they’re winning.

Tom Allen’s team enters Columbus 4-1, and while they will definitely leave with a 4-2 record, they’ll probably also be the third-best team the Buckeyes have faced this season.

Being better than Tulane, Rutgers, and Oregon State will earn you something between a cookie and a Pinstripe Bowl bid. But for the Hoosiers, that’s pretty respectable.

Ohio State 45, Indiana 17

Mike Meihls

Full Disclosure: I like IU. The Hoosiers are those little brothers who always try to hang out with the big kids, every once in a while they can, but mostly they’re forgotten. (Also: this is not a Mike Hart reference, but sometimes life works out that way). [Editor’s note: Mike Hart is Indiana’s RB coach.]

IU will try to copy Penn State and TCU on offense. They will work the edges and slants to beat the OSU pass rush and pick on the weaker links in the defense. They will do so with half the talent of these two teams, if that. Ramsey will throw at least one interception.

The offense will out talent IU and roll on that alone. However, I still expect Ohio State to eventually try to establish a running game. This is another good game to try that in.

IU isn’t the same IU we’ve seen recently. They’re more defensive minded than we’re used to, but they’re far from the class of the Big Ten. OSU rolls.

Ohio State 42, Indiana 10

Adam Borland

It’s been almost thirty years to the day since the Hoosiers last bested the Buckeyes. I’m currently typing up this little write-up on my cell phone and sending it out to be published on the World Wide Web. Those things didn’t exist the last time your hometown team lost to Indiana.

What I’m trying to say is that the Buckeyes are going to win on Saturday. And, though Meyer has had some struggles with Indiana in the past (twice allowing IU to come within a score of winning), he did what any great coach would do: he took the opposing coach that had challenged him and hired him to his own staff.

OSU comes off of their prime-time victory against Penn State even more motivated to prove that they’re the best in the division, conference, and country. The Buckeyes roll from start to finish, crushing the Hoosiers.

Ohio State 52, Indiana 20

Michael Citro

A lot of people ask what a Hoosier is. As near as anyone can tell, the only actual definition for it is “person from Indiana.” In Latin, the word means “pasty white guy with a buzzcut who likes basketball.” At least I’m 87 percent sure that’s what it means in Latin. I’m a little rusty since I never actually took Latin, per se.

None of that has anything to do with football, but then usually what is on display at Indiana University doesn’t have anything to do with football either. That said, the Hoosiers have given the Buckeyes fits at times over the past few years. I don’t think they will this year.

Ohio State 45, Indiana 20