Ohio State beat Indiana 19-15 in Bloomington, converting two fourth-down touchdowns, making both field goals, and out-rushing the Hoosiers.

Ohio State avenged last year’s Big Ten Championship loss with a 19-15 victory over Indiana, executing in critical situations to secure a top-five road win.

Ohio State didn’t need a pretty win against Indiana. The Buckeyes needed to execute when the game was on the line, and unlike their loss to the Hoosiers in last year’s Big Ten Championship Game, they made enough plays to leave Bloomington with a win.

The No. 4 Buckeyes defeated No. 5 Indiana 19-15 on Saturday, snapping the defending national champions’ 22-game winning streak. The uneven offensive performance included two interceptions, stalled drives, and the loss of starting quarterback Julian Sayin, but Ohio State made the plays that decided the outcome.

Both Buckeye touchdowns came on fourth down. Connor Hawkins converted both field goal attempts; Indiana missed twice, and Ohio State out-rushed the Hoosiers 78-73. Indiana finished with more total yards, 369-313, but the Buckeyes capitalized on their opportunities while the Hoosiers left points on the field.

For Ryan Day, it was a marquee victory and a response to the situational mistakes that contributed to Ohio State’s previous losses.

Ohio State Learned From Previous Mistakes

Indiana beat Ohio State 13-10 in the 2025 Big Ten Championship Game, handing the Buckeyes their first loss of the season. Ohio State scored no points in the second half, failed to convert a fourth-and-one in the red zone, and missed a 27-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter.

The Buckeyes had opportunities to win that game but failed to finish drives. Indiana did not make the same mistakes.

Ohio State faced another reminder of its situational struggles in September, blowing a 20-point lead in a 24-23 loss at Texas. The Buckeyes led 23-3 in the third quarter before surrendering 21 unanswered points.

Against Indiana, the performance was far from flawless, but Ohio State delivered when it needed to. The Buckeyes converted both fourth-down attempts, made both field goals and held on after the Hoosiers threatened to steal the game late.

Bo Jackson’s Fourth-Down Touchdown Before Halftime

Ohio State’s first touchdown came with seven seconds remaining in the first half. Facing fourth-and-goal from the two-yard line, the Buckeyes brought Jeremiah Smith onto the field after watching the first three plays from the sideline. Indiana had to account for Ohio State’s best receiver, and Julian Sayin found Bo Jackson in the left corner of the end zone for a two-yard touchdown.

The score gave Ohio State a 10-7 halftime lead and extended its streak of scoring in the final 30 seconds of the first half to seven consecutive games.

It was a timely response after Indiana took a 7-3 lead on a Sayin interception. Ohio State put together a 15-play, 80-yard drive and finished it on fourth down rather than settling for a field goal.

Hawkins Delivered While Indiana Left Points Behind

Ohio State’s offense struggled to find consistency, making Hawkins’ two field goals particularly valuable. He connected from 26 yards in the first quarter and 29 yards in the third, extending the Buckeyes’ lead to 13-7. Indiana, meanwhile, missed a 32-yard field goal in the second quarter and a 55-yard attempt late in the third.

The first miss kept the Hoosiers from extending their 7-3 lead, and the second preserved Ohio State’s six-point advantage and gave the Buckeyes possession near midfield.

The contrast with the 2025 championship game was difficult to miss. Ohio State missed a short field goal in that loss; this time, Hawkins converted both attempts while Indiana came away empty on two kicks.

Jeremiah Smith Made the Defining Play

Ohio State scored its final touchdown on fourth-and-one early in the fourth quarter. The Buckeyes had started to find some rhythm on the ground, but instead of handing off, Sayin threw to Smith. The result was a 38-yard touchdown that extended Ohio State’s lead to 19-7.

HOLY JEREMIAH! https://t.co/S4CcTZLsyh

— The Silver Bulletin (@tSilverBulletin) October 17, 2026

Smith caught it with Indiana defenders around him and later acknowledged he ran the wrong route. It did not matter. The junior continued to show why he is the nation’s best player, making a difficult catch in one of the biggest moments of the game.

“I actually ran the wrong route,” Smith said postgame. “Julian just trusted me once again. And threw the ball up; I made the play.”

Indiana answered with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Josh Hoover to Nick Marsh and converted a two-point attempt to cut the deficit to 19-15 with 10:30 remaining. Ohio State’s defense had to close out the game, and the offense needed to protect the ball after Sayin left with a shoulder injury.

Luke Fahey Helped Ohio State Finish

With Sayin out, backup Luke Fahey entered a game that remained in doubt. His passing line finished at 0-for-2, but Ohio State didn’t turn the quarterback change into a turnover that gave Indiana another chance.

The Hoosiers had one final chance to take the lead, reaching fourth-and-four at the Ohio State 27-yard line with less than a minute remaining. Hoover found Marsh in the end zone, but the receiver could not get his left foot in bounds.

Ohio State beats Indiana by a foot! https://t.co/T3muoQcEgS

— The Silver Bulletin (@tSilverBulletin) October 17, 2026

Ohio State took over, and Fahey kneeled twice to end the game. Fahey didn’t need a spectacular performance. He needed to protect the football and help Ohio State survive the final minutes without its starting quarterback. He did enough to give the Buckeyes a chance to finish and win the game on defense.

“We talked about going into that drive as the drive was going on, on the headset, like, we gotta go win this game on defense,” Day said. 

The Ground Game and Defense Helped Seal It

Ohio State out-rushed Indiana 78-73 (Sack Adjusted: 122 (3.7) to 84 (3.0)), despite averaging just 2.1 yards per carry. Bo Jackson led the Buckeyes with 56 yards on 18 attempts, while Isaiah West added 45 yards on six carries, including a 22-yard run.

Neither team established a dominant ground attack, but Ohio State finished with more rushing yards and controlled possession for 32:12, compared with Indiana’s 27:48.

Matt Patricia’s defense also delivered two critical takeaways in the third quarter, recovering fumbles on consecutive Indiana possessions. Those plays helped limit the damage on a day when the Hoosiers generated 369 total yards, with Hoover throwing for 296.

Indiana had opportunities to win. But it failed to capitalize on two field goal attempts, lost two fumbles and could not complete the final pass that would have put the Hoosiers in front.

A Win Ohio State Needed

Ohio State’s 19-15 victory was not its cleanest performance. The Buckeyes turned the ball over twice, averaged 4.6 yards per play, and finished with 313 total yards. Indiana had more offensive production and nearly pulled off a late comeback. But Ohio State eventually executed in the situations that decided the game.

“They are much more comfortable right now, playing in the fourth quarter, than I think they were to start the season,” Ryan Day said. 

The Buckeyes scored both touchdowns on fourth down, made both field goals, out-rushed Indiana and protected their lead through the final minute. Indiana missed two field goals, fumbled twice, and fell short on its final fourth-down attempt.

A year ago, Ohio State failed to finish against the Hoosiers in the Big Ten Championship Game. The loss at Texas also loomed in everyone’s mind, with questions about whether a collapse would happen again.

In Bloomington, the Buckeyes still made mistakes, but they made enough plays to win a top-five road game and end Indiana’s 22-game winning streak.

Ryan Day now has a significant victory heading into the bye week. Ohio State still needs to improve offensively, especially with Sayin’ missing several weeks with an injury, but the Buckeyes left Indiana with a win earned in the moments that mattered.