Ohio State On SI Staff Picks: Can Buckeyes Get Revenge on Indiana in Week 7?

This game needs no introduction.

Some may argue this is the game Ohio State has been preparing for all season long. Now it has a chance to go to Indiana and rewrite a wrong from last December, when it lost the Big Ten Championship game to the Hoosiers, which ultimately led to them completing their undefeated season.

 Ohio State isn’t undefeated like Indiana is. However, the Buckeyes are rolling through the start of the Big Ten schedule without any real hiccups.

Ohio State (5-1, 3-0 Big Ten) has had this game against the Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) earmarked on the schedule since it was released. So much so that both teams have remained the class of the Big Ten all year long, with a possible elimination scenario in play come December, ahead of the Big Ten title game in Indianapolis.

Someone’s supremacy must be disrupted. Will the Buckeyes struggle again, or will the Hoosiers exploit their weaknesses?  Check out our staff picks as the game gets underway.

Ohio State vs. Indiana Week 7 Outlook

Date: Saturday, Oct. 17

Time: noon ET/9 a.m. PT

TV Channel: FOX (consult TV Guide or preferred streaming provider for details).

Odds: Ohio State -3; over/under is 50.5 (via DraftKings Sportsbook)

Location: Memorial Stadium – Bloomington, Ind.

Ohio State’s record under Ryan Day: 87-13 (8-6 in postseason bowl games/CFP).

Last time vs. Indiana: A 13-10 loss in the Big Ten title game in a top-two showdown. Ohio State leads the series dating back to 1989, 31-1-1.

Pregame festivities: Big Noon Kickoff will be there.

Ohio State so far this season: 5-1 (3-0 Big Ten)

STANDINGS:

• Rafael Zamorano: 4-1 (no pick in Week 6 nor Week 7)

• Chip Minnich: 4-0 (began contributing ahead of Week 3)          

Zain Bando: Ohio State 28, Indiana 24

There is no such thing as a one-game season, but the Buckeyes may beg to differ. Indiana handed Ohio State one of its two back-to-back losses to end last season and now, on a fall Saturday in Bloomington, the entire year could come down to whether Ohio State can finally sneak up and regain head-to-head dominance and steal a road win.

If wideout Jeremiah Smith gets space and gets comfortable thanks to Julian Sayin, and forces the defense to tire Hoosiers quarterback Josh Hoover, the game could easily deliver a fantastic finish in the closing minutes.

We’ll see if the Buckeyes can make it interesting, or better yet, secure a road win that could change the season for good.

Chip Minnich: Ohio State 31, Indiana 28

The highly anticipated, top-five Big Ten showdown between the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday hinges on how Ryan Day's squad handles sudden depth issues against an elite Indiana defense. Ohio State faces an uphill battle following a troubling availability report ruling out two of the team's most relied-upon members on offense ~ Austin Siereveld and Ja'Kobi Jackson.

With Austin Siereveld missing his second straight game, the loss of the Preseason All-Big Ten selection strips the Buckeyes of their offensive line leader. This forces Gabe VanSickle and right tackle Phillip Daniels into hyper-extended roles against a vicious Hoosier pass rush; Daniels has not played since the loss at Texas on September 12th.

Ja'Kobi Jackson, the team's powerhouse short-yardage back and touchdown leader (6 TDs), is sidelined with a surprise ankle injury. While Bo Jackson will shoulder the primary workload, Ja'Kobi Jackson's absence eliminates the physical lightning-and-thunder dynamic Ohio State uses to control the tempo.

Could Isaiah West, who missed a key block that led to a pick-six interception in last week's Maryland game, get a chance at redemption? West offers a physical style of play comparable to Ja'Kobi Jackson. The fans who have been clamoring for Legend Bey may see Bey as a larger part of the offensive game plan. Ohio State offensive coordinator Arthur Smith will need to be creative in the run game and involve other receiving talents beyond Jeremiah Smith.

With a depleted ground game and a reshuffled protection unit, the entire game plan in my estimation rests on the shoulders of junior quarterback Julian Sayin. Sayin has been using his legs to gain positive yardage in recent games and may need to run more frequently than desired by Sayin or the Ohio State coaching staff.

The Ohio State defense is going to be tested, as Indiana boasts talented wide receivers in Nick Marsh and Charlie Becker, plus a strong running game led by Turbo Richard. Quarterback Josh Hoover has not yet thrown an interception this season, so perhaps Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia will be able to scheme some situations that result in a turnover.

Expect a classic, physical Big Ten chess match. While Indiana enters the match healthier and with a strong defensive front, Sayin's elite talent and postseason poise will provide just enough explosive plays in a late two-minute drill to secure a tight, field-goal victory for the Buckeyes in Bloomington.

Ohio State comes into this matchup battle-tested, seeing ranked teams Iowa and Texas on the road and finishing 1-1 in those matchups. This will be Indiana’s first ranked matchup of the season, but they had a comeback victory at Nebraska last week, in which the Cornhuskers should probably have been a ranked team.

This matchup will come down to how dominant Indiana can be at the line of scrimmage, as that may be the only position where Indiana may have more talent than the Buckeyes, other than maybe running back. Indiana should be able to run the ball decently and stop the run on the other side.

At the end of the day, the secondary for Ohio State should limit the passing game from exploding and another weapon in the passing game has a big game next to Smith, inching Ohio State to a win in this matchup and moving what we may call in 10 years the “Cignetti-Day War” to a 2-1 Buckeye lead.