Ohio State derails Indiana 38-15

     Will Howard completed his first fourteen passes and threw for two touchdowns and Caleb Downs returned a punt seventy-nine yards for a touchdown to lead the Ohio State Buckeyes to a 38-15 win over the previously unbeaten Indiana Hoosiers in Columbus.

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.

Caleb Downs transfers to Ohio State

    I don't often write about Ohio State recruiting or even transfers (although I did write about Will Howard's arrival and Kyle McCord's departure), but the announcement of Caleb Downs deciding to leave Alabama and selecting Ohio State is well worth the exception.

Ohio State had badly desired Downs for the recruiting class of 2023 and was regarded as the runner-up to Alabama for the safety of Hoschton, Georgia.

The Buckeyes would not be denied this time as they nosed out Georgia for the services of the player that most thought was the defensive freshman of the year nationally, won the SEC freshman of the year, and was named first-team All-SEC, an impressive feat as a freshman.

Downs has no weaknesses as he is a firm tackler, and plays the run well, and yet Downs is excellent in coverage with punt return ability, as Downs showed for the Crimson Tide against Tennessee when he returned a punt eighty-five yards for a score.

Downs finished last season with seventy solo tackles, a forced fumble, and two interceptions as the force on the Alabama defense.

At six foot and 203 pounds, Downs comes from a football family with his father Gary Downs with a pro history as a running back for three teams, his uncle Dre Bly spent eleven years in the NFL as a corner, and his brother Josh is currently with the Indianapolis Colts as a wide receiver, catching sixty-eight passes as a rookie this season.

Downs will pair with returning strong safety Lathon Ransom to give Ohio State the best pairing in the nation with the chance of both players making first-team All-American next season. 

The ball skills and tackling of Caleb Downs are yet another addition to an Ohio State defense that looks to be the best in the nation for 2024 and adds another tool to the belt of Ryan Day as he enters a year in which he will have plenty of advantages- and plenty at stake should he not take advantage of them.