Ryan Day and Ohio State notched their second Top 5 win of the season over Indiana ahead of The Game against That Team Up North.

During Ohio State’s third Top 5 matchup of the season, Buckeye Nation brought the juice. Ohio Stadium was electric from the start. Most fans never sat down until the late fourth quarter. It was the loudest I have heard The Shoe since the 2017 Penn State game. So, tip of the cap, Ohio State fans – you answered the bell, propelling the Buckeyes to a 38-15 victory over the Hoosiers. 

Jim Knowles is the MVP Coach of the Game. The Silver Bullets gave up 70 yards and a touchdown on the opening drive. Indiana finished with 151 yards and 15 points. Kurtis Rourke was under duress the entire afternoon. He was sacked five times as the front seven controlled the line of scrimmage. 

Cody Simon played the best game of his career, and Sonny Styles and defensive ends Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau also played well. On the backend of the defense, Denzel Burke and Jermaine Matthews were locked down in coverage. Davison Igbinosun needs to clean up the penalties but remains a solid cornerback despite his physical style of play. 

Ohio State’s defense has improved dramatically since the loss to Oregon. In a way, losing in Eugene could be the best thing to happen to this team. The Buckeyes are peaking at the right time. November is for contenders, and Ohio State is proving they belong at the top of the list. 

Offensively, Will Howard needs more national credit for how strong of a season he is having. For the sixth time this season, he completed over 80% of his passes and is playing with swagger and confidence. He has jumped in head-first as a Buckeye and embodies all the traits needed to be a successful quarterback and leader at Ohio State. 

All the skill position players are playing their best, making defending the Buckeyes a massive chore. At the heart of the offense is the short-handed offensive line. Justin Frye’s unit is one of the unsung storylines of the season, losing Josh Simmons and Seth McLaughlin to injuries. It’s not flashy up front, but the elevated and physical play from the guys up front anchors this team. Ohio State’s ceiling revolves around the heights the offensive line can take them. 

Returning to the crowd noise, one moment in particular on Saturday could register on the Richter scale. Everyone erupted when Caleb Downs spun away from the Indiana defender and hit the crease. The drought finally ended. For the first time since 2014 against Indiana, Ohio State returned a punt for a touchdown. 

The coaching staff adopted the philosophy to find alternative ways to get the ball into the hands of the best players. Caleb Downs returning punts and TreVeyon Henderson returning kickoffs are prime examples. On Saturday, it paid off when Caleb Downs took it 79 yards to the house, breaking the game wide open. 

The games you remember are played in November, and Ohio State is playing the exact kind of football required to chase a championship at this time of year.