Ohio State survives a 19-15 win in Bloomington, but not without a handful of injuries, as Julian Sayin is expected to miss several weeks.

The last two National Champions. No. 4 vs. No. 5. The biggest Big Ten game of the season. The Buckeyes squared off against the Hoosiers in Bloomington in a massive top-5 clash.

Ohio State received the kickoff to start. The Buckeyes go back-to-back run fakes and complete passes to Mason Williams for a first down. After three plays, OSU found themselves in the red zone. However, after a run for no gain and a throwaway on third down, they would settle for 3 at the 11:52 mark.

Indiana took the field for their first drive. After a 4-yard run and back-to-back incompletions, the Hoosiers went three-and-out, and the Buckeyes took over at the 10:59 mark, looking to add on. Instead, Ohio State quickly went three-and-out, and Indiana got a chance to change the tide.

The Hoosiers started their drive by finding success through the air and picked up two first downs. That said, Ohio State’s defense bowed up at midfield and forced an IU punt at the OSU 45. The Buckeyes take over at their own 20 after the punt lands out of bounds.

Bo Jackson picked up a first down on a 10-yard run on the second play of the drive. After that, Julian Sayin and the pass game struggled, as three straight incompletions forced OSU to punt again. Indiana took some rather own 19 with just under 4 minutes in the first quarter.

After a 9-play, 22-yard drive, Indiana is forced to punt from their own 41 after a slew of incompletions from Josh Hoover to end the half. After taking over at their own 22, OSU’s drive would be short-lived. After a sack on the first play, Sayin’s pass intended for Jeremiah Smith gets tipped by IU cornerback Jamari Sharpe and into the hands of Amare Ferrel in coverage. With a short field, Indiana punched the ball in for a touchdown to take a 7-3 lead.

The Buckeyes take over, converting on a 3rd and 10 and finding some success with Legend Bey in the run game. However, after multiple missed downfield throws, OSU was forced to punt after 6 plays, and Indiana started their drive at their own 20.

The Hoosiers began to roll on offense as Josh Hoover got into a groove, completing key first-down passes. One of those passes came on a 3rd-and-4 when Nick Marsh made a diving 19-yard grab in the red zone. After the run and a huge pass deflection from Payton Pierce, Indiana had to settle for a short field-goal attempt. As fate would have it, the kick ricocheted off the left upright, and the Hoosiers came up empty.

Ohio State would take over at their own 20 with 5:04 to go in the first half. After a 2nd-and-20 conversion and a roughing-the-passer penalty on the same play, OSU quickly got into scoring range. The Buckeyes rumbled to the IU 4-yard line, then ran six plays to a touchdown pass to Bo Jackson, making it 10-7 OSU at half.

Indiana opened the half with the ball but fumbled on the second play. Ohio State took over at the IU 45, and Julian Sayin quickly completed two first-down passes. The drive would stall at the Indiana 11, however, and a Connor Hawkins field goal extended OSU’s lead to 13-7.

IU then drove to the OSU 27 before a blitzing Jaylen McClain forced a strip-sack fumble that TJ Alford recovered. Unfortunately, Ohio State’s momentum was short-lived as Sayin sailed Jeremiah Smith over middle and threw another interception to Amare Farrell. IU took over at their own 17.

After moving the ball well into OSU territory, Hoosier QB Josh Hoover suffered a hand injury and briefly left the game. Indiana’s drive stalled at the OSU 37, and they settled for a 55-yard field goal attempt that again fell short.

Ohio State inched the ball into Indiana territory until they faced a 4th-and-short from the IU 38. The Buckeyes rolled the dice and went for it. Julian Sayin launched a pass downfield to a contested Jeremiah Smoth, who snatched it out of the air for a touchdown. After failing to convert on the two-point conversion, OSU led 19-7 with 12:46 to play.

The Hoosier aerial attack came back with a vengeance. Passes of 19, 14, and 21 yards put them on the doorstep of the end zone. The drive would be capped off by a l leaping touchdown grab by Nick Marsh, and Indiana cuts into the lead, making it 19-15 after converting on the two-point conversion.

Ryan Day said he doesn’t have a ton of details yet, but Julian Sayin will likely be out for “several weeks.”

— Blake T. Biscardi (@BlakeBiscardi) October 17, 2026

OSU’s next drive started strong, with Isaiah West slicing and dicing in the run and pass game. Then, at midfield, Phil Daniels gets beat in pass protection, and Julian Sayin goes down hard on this right shoulder. Sayin exited the game and returned to the field in a sling. Backup QB Luke Fahey took over, but after an intentional grounding call, the Buckeyes had to punt. With just over 3:30 left in the contest.

The Hoosiers marched 43 yards downfield into the red zone with a chance to ice the game. It came down to a 4th and 4  inside of 1:30, where OSU brought the house at Josh Hoover. Hoover launched the ball to a wide-open Nick Marsh, who caught it in the endzone; the only problem was that his left foot was out of bounds. Indiana turns the ball over on downs, and the Buckeyes survive an all-time slugfest in Bloomington, 19-15.