The most-watched college football game of this coming weekend figures to be the Big Ten clash between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Indiana Hoosiers.
Both ESPN’s College GameDay and FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff will be broadcasting live from Columbus ahead of the high-stakes showdown.
It’s not often that a matchup between Ohio State and Indiana carries such significant consequences, but tomorrow’s clash at Ohio Stadium will have major implications on both the Big Ten title race and the CFB Playoff picture.
An Ohio State loss to the Hoosiers would mark the fourth straight year the Buckeyes miss the conference title game.
Sitting at 9-1, Ohio State will face an undefeated Indiana team (10-0) that has defied expectations.
Ohio State’s lone defeat came at the hands of Oregon, the only other unbeaten team in the Big Ten. (If we’re being honest, the Buckeyes outplayed the Ducks that night and should have won the game.)
Historically, Ohio State has dominated the Hoosiers, with their last loss to Indiana occurring back in 1988.
However, a loss tomorrow would not only break that streak but also deal a fatal blow to their conference title aspirations.
Head coach Ryan Day emphasized the importance of the game and rallied the team and fans for a must-win mentality.
“Our guys are fired up for this one. They know that this is a must-win for us. We have to win this game to play in Indianapolis,” Day said. “The team, the coaches, everybody in this building, the fans know what kind of game this is. We got to bring it on Saturday.”
Day also called on fans to create a raucous atmosphere for the noon kickoff, underscoring how much is on the line for the program.
Of course, noon kickoffs have become a major talking point in Columbus. Simply put, the vast majority of Buckeyes fans don’t like having so many of them.
Being such a dominant and attractive brand, FOX loves to put Ohio State in the noon window as much as they possibly can. However, we all know early kickoffs are not ideal for tailgate lovers.
As far as the game, Indiana presents a unique challenge. The Hoosiers remain undefeated and are fresh off a bye week, giving them extra time to prepare.
Having said that, not many people expect the Hoosiers to actually pull off the upset.
Do you???
