3 reasons why Ohio State will squash Indiana on Saturday
By Alec Hartman
2. The Buckeyes’ defense will prove their worth when it matters most against the Hoosiers
The Buckeyes’ record may be perfect but as a team, there’s still some work to do. The defense has had some issues this season and it’s that much easier to be critical of this unit in comparison to the near-perfection of the offense. The Buckeyes have had more noticeable defensive issues in the past but it’s worth addressing now since it’s early.
The Hoosiers’ offense is led by redshirt sophomore quarterback Michael Penix Jr. His rise in notoriety has been like a rocket this season as he currently leads the Big Ten in passing yards. His substantial production thus far is likely thanks to nearly doubling Fields in passing attempts. The Hoosiers have heavily relied on Penix and will likely continue to do so. He has also been sacked less and than Fields and has a respectable touchdown to interception ratio of 9-3.
Penix had his inaugural breakout game in week two as he tossed three touchdowns and totaled almost 250 yards through the air against Rutgers. In case that wasn’t enough, he followed that performance up with another three touchdowns and 342 yards against Michigan. Penix has had some help from an encouraging supporting cast.
Junior running back Stevie Scott III has spearheaded the run game with five touchdowns through four weeks. He has not been impressive in terms of efficiency but has served as the primary back accounting for the vast majority of carries. The Hoosiers have the third-worst yards per carry average in the Big Ten with just 2.7.
The Hoosiers’ strength is clearly in the passing game as they are second in the Big Ten in passing yards and tied for second behind the Buckeyes in passing touchdowns. Fortunately, the Buckeyes have given up the second least total passing yards in the conference and have only conceded four passing touchdowns. The Buckeyes will have to remain vigilant in the passing game once again as they face the pass-happy Hoosiers.
It is difficult to harp on the Buckeyes’ defense statistically speaking because the majority of production against them has come after halftime when the Buckeyes already have the game in hand. Garbage time yardage and touchdowns have come in plenty against the Buckeyes this season as they’ve played games out of reach far before the end of regulation on a weekly basis. This trend is almost certain to continue as the schedule does not get more difficult the rest of the way.
The Buckeyes’ hefty early leads have hurt the defense but they’ve hurt the offense as well. Fields and the Buckeyes’ offense could easily break multiple records in statistical production but their attempts are numbered due to their opponents’ inability to keep up. Maybe the Buckeyes should have less mercy on their opponents and run up the score regardless of the differential. At the end of the day, it’s not the Buckeyes’ fault that other programs cannot compete.
It will be up to the Buckeyes’ defense to contain Penix and the Hoosiers’ passing game which will be a new test. The Buckeyes nearly shut down the Hoosiers’ offense completely last season but that was without Penix. However, they will be returning senior receiver Ty Fryfogle and junior tight end Peyton Hendershot who have been scoring threats this season. Expect the Buckeyes to prove their defense is for real in what could be their last real test this weekend.