For the first time since August, the Ohio State Buckeyes are facing a team of their caliber, and it is going to be a clash of two giants on Saturday.
The Ohio State Buckeyes have rolled through their regular season journey by dominating their opponents.
Since the program's Week 1 game against the Texas Longhorns, Ohio State has gotten the benefit of an incredibly soft schedule that they have not even had to flinch.
Never apologize for your opponent and never apologize for your schedule. The Buckeyes haven't, and when their backs were against the wall early on Saturday against the Michigan Wolverines, they showed what they are made of in the primetime matchup.
Now, as they turn their attention to the Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday, this game is not a lopsided matchup; this is a battle of "Two Giants."
That was how Indiana linebacker Aiden Fisher described the game on Saturday as he spoke glowingly about the Buckeyes' offensive attack. He talked about all of the challenges that quarterback Julian Sayin, and the team's wide receiver duo of Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate present to a defense and how they are relentless in their execution.
Ohio State, and its fans especially, believe that this Buckeye team is two scores better than every team in the country. There is some credence to this rationale as Ohio State is beating their opponents, but they haven't faced a team like Indiana since the last week of August.
More specifically, the Buckeyes have not faced a defense as good as Indiana's all year long. The Hoosiers have the fourth-ranked defense in the country, surrendering 251 yards per game, which is behind Ohio State, the Toledo Rockets (wow), and the Oregon Ducks.
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The trivia question of the day is: What is the separation between Ohio State and Indiana in terms of yards? Spots 1 and 4 are separated by nearly 50 yards per game. Ohio State gives up 203 yards per game compared to Indiana's 251 yards per contest.
Saturday will be Ohio State's toughest test, and it will be a real one. The Buckeyes must not over look this opponent, and there is no reason that they would. The number one adjective to describe the Buckeyes this year is "professional." These guys understand the assignment every week and handle their preparation as such this year.
There is a world where this game is a one-score difference, and the Buckeyes are in a dogfight. There is also a world where Ohio State's offense gets the best of the Hoosiers and are able to score some points.
Many, including myself, are excited to see what this Ohio State offense brings to the table against a real opponent. This is a legitimate no-stakes environment, as if they lose this game, they will still be a top-4 team in the country and will have a first-round bye.
If they win it, they will be Big Ten Champions and will have the top seed heading into the Playoff.
More importantly, they will learn exactly what they are against the nation's best. They will figure it out before the three most important weeks of the 2025 season, the College Football Playoff.