Indiana Prepares For Ohio State Showdown

When talking about an Indiana Hoosiers sports team being ranked top ten in the country, football is usually not the sport that comes to mind. More than halfway through this unprecedented 2020 college football season, the Indiana Hoosiers find themselves 4-0 and ranked ninth in the country as they head to face the third-ranked, undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Fight to Stay Undefeated (and Upset)

The Buckeyes are led by Heisman hopeful and projected second overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, quarterback Justin Fields. They look to make the college football playoff for the second consecutive season. The Indiana Hoosiers are the only ranked team left on the Buckeyes schedule, making Saturday’s matchup the biggest obstacle standing between the Buckeyes and the Big Ten Championship game.

The Buckeyes are heavily favored in this game. But the 2020 season continues to prove to be the season of the unexpected. The Hoosiers haven’t beaten the Buckeyes in football since 1988 and will attempt to use their dynamic offense and top 20 ranked defense, to pull off the massive upset.

Head Coach of the Indiana Hoosiers Football team, discussed some keys to the game, which start with containing quarterback Justin Fields.

Playoff Bound?

With a plethora of one-loss college football playoff hopefuls including Florida, Texas A&M and Clemson; the Hoosiers know how important pulling off this upset is in their hopes of making the playoffs.

No one is doubting the hype surrounding this top ten clash. However, many football fans are asking the question: Is the hype warranted?

While the Indiana Hoosiers’ start to this season is quite impressive, their success does need to be put into perspective. The Indiana Hoosiers find themselves at 4-0 in conference play for the first time since 1987. In years past, if the Indiana Hoosiers were to be 4-0 with wins over Penn State, Rutgers, Michigan, and Michigan State, there is no doubt that they would be among the favorites to compete for a national championship. However, there is a reason why the Hoosiers are still 20.5 point underdogs against the Buckeyes. Indiana Hoosiers opponents this season have a combined win percentage of 23% (3-13).

The Indiana Hoosiers will have their chance to prove the doubters wrong, and what better chance than playing the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes in the House That Harley Built. Will the Indiana defense be able to contain Justin Fields, and limit the production of an impressive Ohio State offense? Or will Ohio State prove to be too strong of an opponent for Indiana to really stand a chance? Tune in to FOX, Saturday at 12:00 p.m. ET, to find out.