Ohio State's defense was dominant in the victory holding the Hoosier offense to barely over 150 yards of total offense.
10-1 Ohio State will host Michigan next week with a trip to the Big Ten title game and a rematch vs Oregon at stake.
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1) Indiana's first possession was concerning as they ground out seventy yards on eleven plays for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Indiana wouldn't move the ball more than thirty yards again until their final possession when the game was decided.
2) The Ohio State defense was dominant after the first drive, turning the potent Hoosier offense into another inept attack but the running numbers are deceiving as the total is lowered by a twenty-three-yard loss on punter James Evans and quarterback Kurtis Rourke's losses of thirty-three yards.
3) One of the problems with last season's Buckeyes was special teams and this season's team used two big plays to turn this game around from those units.
One was during a brief rain mist, a snap to punter James Evans slipped through his hands, and while Evans recovered, Ohio State would take over at the Indiana seven and would take the lead shortly after.
4) And then there was Caleb Downs, who had been a standout returning punts for Alabama and was sent out to return a punt after the initial Indiana possession of the second half.
Sending out Downs was a tip that Ryan Day wanted to make something happen and it did as Downs took the punt on a hop and dashed seventy-nine yards for a touchdown.
5) When Ohio State was able to recruit Downs to transfer from Alabama, one of the skills mentioned was his punt returning, which the Tide used on occasion.
Downs is one of those special players that could be used in any capacity (PSST, including on offense), and don't be surprised if you don't see more of him in playmaking situations over the next few weeks.
6) The Ohio State pass rush cruised through the Indiana offensive line with five sacks and stayed in the face of Kurtis Rourke throughout the games.
Ohio State's pass rush was just short in the loss to Oregon often just missing sacks of Dillon Gabriel, it's an encouraging sign that the sacks are starting to come home.
7) The player of the game has to go to Cody Simon, who seemed to be everywhere with two and a half sacks, four solo tackles, and multiple assisted tackles with a forced fumble.
Simon was unblockable throughout the contest and continued to be the dominant player in the front seven.
8) Will Howard did throw one interception to go with his two touchdowns but it wasn't his fault as Jelani Thurman juggled the ball and Indiana plucked the ball from the air.
Howard avoided mistakes and didn't allow Indiana the one thing that they needed to win- Ohio State turnovers.
9) Give Curt Cignetti all the credit for getting Indiana to a place that it's never been but he gave Ohio State bulletin board material with his famous quote "Purdue sucks and so do Michigan and Ohio State" at a basketball game after his hiring.
Considering the difference between the two programs, it was far from smart.
10) And consider it a message when Ryan Day slammed in a final score when the Buckeyes could have kneeled out the clock.
Message sent- Ohio State is going to finish the job and know your place until you've made your space.
11) It's Michigan week- payback time.
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