Ohio State vs. Indiana will feature a top-five matchup with two running games that could decide the game.

Ohio State and Indiana are set for their top-five clash Saturday in Bloomington, their first matchup since last season’s Big Ten Championship. Indiana won 13-10 in a low-scoring affair and managed a few more ground-game plays than Ohio State to pull out the win.

Both teams’ rushing attacks look very different than they did a year ago. For Ohio State, CJ Donaldson is now on the New Orleans Saints, and they brought in Florida transfer Ja’Kobi Jackson and freshman Legend Bey. For Indiana, Kaelon Black is now on the San Francisco 49ers, and Roman Hemby is on the Las Vegas Raiders. They brought in a back of their own in Turbo Richards from Boston College, and Lee Beebe Jr. has seen a bigger role in his second season after spending his first three years at UAB.

Ohio State running back Bo Jackson is the only returning rusher for either team with more than four yards in last year’s matchup, while backup running back Isaiah West had just three carries for four yards. Both teams want to use the run to open up the passing game, and both have some of the conference’s best offensive lines, but they’re prone to moments of pressure.

Saturday’s matchup will feature some of the game’s elite quarterbacks and wide receivers, but the offensive lines and running backs may ultimately decide it. Last year’s affair saw Indiana outrush Ohio State 118-58, outcarry them 34-26, and outrush them 3.5-2.2 yards per carry.

Let’s look at how each team’s running back committees have fared so far and how they might do in this one.

Brock Boyd is still Questionable for Ohio State against Indiana.

Isaiah West and Khary Wilder appear to be full available for the Buckeyes after being Questionable last night. https://t.co/rzzn9YngDb

— Blake T. Biscardi (@BlakeBiscardi) October 16, 2026

Ohio State Will Need To Get Creative

Running back Ja’Kobi Jackson and offensive lineman Austin Siereveld will be out Saturday vs. the Hoosiers, with Jackson expected to miss significant time. In addition, running back Anthony “Turbo” Rodgers is questionable for the contest. Isaiah West was Questionable on Wednesday but has since been upgraded to available. 

Bo Jackson will lead the backfield, as he has been in spurts throughout the current season and last season. He leads the team in carries (89), rushing yards (460), and longest rush attempt (65). He is second on the team behind the other Jackson in yards per carry (5.2) and rushing touchdowns (4). He showed some great flashes last season as a freshman, notably against TTUN on the road.

Jackson finished last season with 1,090 rushing yards and 6.1 yards per carry, with 200 receiving yards and seven total touchdowns. The Buckeyes will need that version of Bo in this one, with his counterpart expected to miss lots of time in the future.

Isaiah West would be the next guy up, but we will wait and see what his status is. He finished last season with 310 rushing yards and two touchdowns as a freshman, but he has only 80 yards on the ground this season. He is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry, down from 5.3 last season.

This could be the breakout game for Legend Bey, who has only had six touches since the season opener. In the opener, he showed his unique shiftyness and speed, rushing six times for 37 yards and catching two passes for 37 yards and a touchdown, making multiple defenders look silly.

The offensive line might struggle to protect Julian Sayin, and quick passes could be in play with Bey in the backfield. Ryan Day and Arthur Smith could get creative with Bey, arguably the team’s most special athlete outside of Jeremiah Smith.

Hoosiers Duo Among The Best

Turbo Richard has led the Hoosiers backfield and has been the more impressive back statistically of the two. He rushed for 278 and 749 yards in his two seasons at Boston College, and he already has 597 through six games. He averaged 5.1 and 5.2 yards per carry his first two years in college football and now has an impressive 8.4 this season.

He struggled in the last game against Nebraska, with just eight carries for 10 yards, but has been a big part of Indiana’s early-season success. He has five rushing touchdowns and has eclipsed 100 yards three times: 108 vs. Howard, 149 vs. Western Kentucky, and 204 vs. Rutgers. In all three games, he averaged 9.8 yards per carry or better.

Lee Beebe Jr. has been around college football, and Indiana specifically, longer. He spent three seasons at UAB, and this is his second season with the Hoosiers. His first three seasons as a Dragon featured season totals of 32, 360, and 885 rushing yards with 11 rushing touchdowns in the final two seasons. His first year at Indiana, he had just 209 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown in a crowded backfield with future NFL players.

This season, he already has 551 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns, giving Curt Cignetti’s offense a 1-2 punch similar to TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins from the national championship-winning Ohio State team two seasons ago. He also has three 100-yard games in 2026: 112 vs. Howard, 203 vs. Northwestern, and 122 vs. Rutgers.

It is interesting that two of the three highest rushing totals for both backs came in the same game, showing that they have lacked a little consistency. Beebe Jr. also struggled a bit last game at Nebraska, finishing with just 31 rushing yards and 3.4 yards per carry.

What Backfield Makes Enough Plays To Win?

In what some are calling Indiana’s biggest home game ever, both teams have strengths and weaknesses compared to last year’s matchup. Concerns for Ohio State’s run game include three injuries, an offensive line injury, and the strength of Indiana’s defense, including their defensive line and run game.

Concerns for Indiana’s run game include a lack of explosiveness compared to last season, the quarterback not running much, and the Ohio State defense remaining very strong overall, especially against the run.

Both teams have proved their defenses are among the best, especially at stopping the run. Ohio State will need to protect Julian Sayin, establish the run game, and take advantage of red zone trips. Indiana will need to move the ball with Josh Hoover, lean on their two running backs, and score touchdowns, not field goals.

Overall, whichever team can protect its great quarterback and open lanes for its running backs will be in very good shape. I expect Ohio State to make enough plays to win, with Bo Jackson carrying a bigger workload and freshman Legend Bey proving he was worth all the off-field antics.

Indiana will have their share of first-down runs and ball movement, but Matt Patricia and this Ohio State defense are due for a turnover or two, which will help the offense find its footing. Ohio State wins and carries more momentum into the bye week as it looks to get healthy ahead of a Halloween showdown with USC in two weeks.