On Nov. 23, 2024, Indiana football traveled to Columbus, Ohio, for an opportunity to notch an 11-0 start in head coach Curt Cignetti’s first year at the helm. After taking a 7-0 lead, the Hoosiers collapsed. The Buckeyes went on a 31-0 run, securing a 38-15 victory to diminish Indiana’s Big Ten Football Championship hopes.
However, both programs underwent changes in the offseason. Cignetti and his staff brought in 24 transfers to revamp Indiana’s roster. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes retooled with a 26-player 2025 recruiting class, which ranks fifth in the country according to Rivals.
Indiana entered last season’s matchup with a No. 5 ranking in both the College Football Playoff and The Associated Press’ Top 25 Poll. Meanwhile, Ohio State owned the No. 2 spot in each of the rankings. This year, the two programs are the only undefeated teams in the nation at 12-0 overall and a 9-0 Big Ten record.
Now, Indiana and Ohio State, ranked No. 2 and No. 1 in the nation respectively, meet again. This time in the 2025 Big Ten Championship game Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. After last season’s defeat, the Hoosiers are seeking redemption.
“I know last year’s game didn’t go how we wanted, and they were the only guys that beat us last year in the regular season. So this game’s pretty personal to a lot of guys on the team, coaches included,” redshirt junior linebacker Isaiah Jones said Tuesday. “So I think we’re all excited to have this opportunity to go back and have a different outcome.”
Here’s what to know about the Buckeyes:
Julian Sayin
Last season, then-Buckeye starting quarterback Will Howard threw for 201 yards and two touchdowns against the Hoosiers. However, Howard left in the offseason, which paved the way for sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin to take over starting signal-calling duties in 2025.
Sayin played just 27 offensive snaps in 2024, but has led one of the most efficient passing offenses in the nation this season. The Buckeyes rank second in the Football Bowl Subdivision with a 183.80 team passing efficiency rating. Ohio State ranks behind only Indiana in the category.
Sayin’s accuracy has been key to the Buckeyes’ efficient air attack. The Carlsbad, California, native’s 78.9% completion percentage on his pass attempts through 12 games leads the nation.
“Yeah, he’s played with a lot of poise,” Cignetti said about Sayin during media availability Monday. “He doesn't look like a guy that's in his first year as a starter.”
Saturday's matchup potentially holds Heisman Trophy implications. Indiana redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza currently holds the best odds to win the Heisman Trophy, per FanDuel. But Sayin is not far behind, owning the third-highest odds to take home the award.
Offensive weapons
Sayin is surrounded by one of the top wide receiver corps in the country, headlined by sophomore Jeremiah Smith and junior Carnell Tate.
Smith ranks third in the Big Ten with 942 receiving yards, while Tate’s 793 receiving yards ranks sixth in the conference. Together, the duo has combined for 19 touchdowns through 12 games, and both earned 2025 All-Big Ten first team honors Thursday.
The Buckeyes’ ground game is anchored by freshman running back Bo Jackson, who leads the team with 151 carries and 952 rushing yards. Against Michigan last Saturday, Jackson took 22 carries for 117 yards –– his third consecutive game with over 100 rushing yards.
However, Jackson faces a stout test against the Hoosiers’ defensive front. Indiana surrenders just 79.2 rushing yards per game to opponents –– the second-lowest mark in the nation.
Defense
In his first season as the Ohio State defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia has shaped the Buckeyes into a top defense. The Buckeyes surrender a nation-low 203 yards per game to opponents and 121.3 passing yards per contest.
Junior safety Caleb Downs anchors this dominant secondary and earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors Wednesday. Downs and the Ohio State secondary will be tasked with containing Indiana senior wide receiver Elijah Sarratt and redshirt junior wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. The Indiana duo are both tied for the Big Ten lead in receiving touchdowns with 11.
On the defensive front, the Buckeyes are led by All-Big Ten selections junior defensive lineman Kayden McDonald and senior defensive end Caden Curry. Their efforts have helped the Buckeyes build a fourth-ranked rush defense.
However, Indiana presents a difficult test in the trenches. The Hoosiers average 229.8 rushing yards per contest –– ninth in the country –– and are coming off a 355-yard rushing performance against Purdue on Nov. 28.
The game
Saturday will mark Indiana’s first Big Ten Championship game appearance in school history to cap off an already record-breaking season. The Cream and Crimson notched their first top-five victory on the road against Oregon on Oct. 11, and secured the highest AP poll ranking in program history.
A victory on Saturday would give the Hoosiers momentum heading into the College Football Playoff, likely catapulting them to a No. 1 playoff ranking.
“What I can tell you about this football team is we've met every challenge up to this point because we prepare consistently the way you need to prepare and put it on the field, and all three phases have been very consistent,” Cignetti said.
The Hoosiers’ next challenge arrives at 8 p.m. Saturday. Gus Johnson and Joe Klatt will be on the call for FOX.
Follow reporters Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and columnist Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa and qmrichar@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
