Ohio State vs. Indiana score, takeaways: Buckeyes cruise as defense stifles Hoosiers in top-five showdown

The college football universe had been wondering for weeks what it would look like when Indiana got its first test against an elite opponent. Well, a brutal answer was delivered on Saturday. 

No. 2 Ohio State cruised to victory against No. 5 Indiana 38-15. The final score is a bit misleading, however. Indiana struck first to take a 7-0 lead in the game, but its first drive would be the high point of the afternoon. It was all Buckeyes from there, and they even left some meat on the bone.

Ohio State came away from two red zone possessions empty-handed. One was a turnover on downs as the Indiana defense made a stop at the goal line, while another ended with an interception after a dropped pass. Still, in the end, it made no difference because the Ohio State defense took the game over.

Indiana had 70 yards on its opening drive and only 78 the rest of the afternoon, and that includes a 75-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth as Ohio State was happy to melt clock. After allowing only 11 sacks in their first 10 games of the season, Ohio State racked up five in the game as well as eight tackles for loss.

Special teams played a key role, too. While Indiana survived a muffed snap on a punt (it led to Ohio State’s red zone interception), Caleb Downs housed another punt for a 79-yard touchdown. Simply put, Ohio State was better in every phase of the game.

• This is Ohio State’s second win over a top-five team this season after Ryan Day only had two such wins in his first five seasons.
• Indiana averaged only 2.6. yards per play against Ohio State. Its lowest total previously was 4.4 yards per play against Michigan.
• Jeremiah Smith did not have a touchdown catch today. After grabbing at least one in each of his first seven games, he’s been shut out of the end zone in three of the last four.