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Ohio State Football: Preview, predictions and live stream vs. Indiana

By Quinn Douglas

COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 08: Mike Weber #25 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs with the ball in the first quarter of the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Ohio Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State won 52-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 08: Mike Weber #25 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs with the ball in the first quarter of the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Ohio Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State won 52-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Ohio State football is coming off a huge victory over Penn State in Happy Valley, but have Tom Allen’s Hoosiers caught the Buckeyes at the right time?

It looked as if this could be a season of disaster for Ohio State. Instead, it’s been business as usual for Urban Meyer and company. The Buckeyes survived the opening three-game slate with Meyer suspended for his role in the Zach Smith case. Last week, Ohio State made a statement with a 27-26 comeback win against Penn State with the Buckeyes trailing 26-13 with eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter.

The catalyst for Ohio State has undoubtedly been quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Any other year, he would be the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy, but he’s only somewhere around third or fourth in the race currently. Haskins has a mind-boggling 19 touchdowns to only two interceptions. The Buckeyes defense has been equally as impressive, only allowing 18.8 points per game and managed to hold an explosive Penn State offense to 26 points without Nick Bosa.

Indiana has had an impressive start to their season as well with a 4-1 record, their best five-game start since 2015. Quarterback Peyton Ramsey has led a steady ship at quarterback, throwing for over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns in the early portion of the season. The Hoosiers defense however, has been a huge improvement. Indiana currently ranks 25th in the NCAA in total yards allowed with 321.8 YPG and forcing 10 turnovers.

Here’s where to catch the action Saturday afternoon:

Date: Saturday, Oct. 6
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Venue: Ohio Stadium
TV: FOX
Live Stream: FOX Sports Go or FuboTV

Keys to Victory

Ohio State’s biggest key to victory is fairly simple: let Dwayne Haskins ball out. He is one of the hottest quarterbacks in all of college football right now and is playing at a really high level. Haskins throwing the ball, mixed with J.K. Dobbins versatility will give Indiana fits defensively. Defensively, they don’t need to shut down the Hoosiers, but slowing them down will definitely help the offense in a big way.

Indiana will have to play a nearly-perfect game defensively if they want to beat the Buckeyes in the Horseshoe. A key player to watch for Indiana is all-around defensive back Jonathan Crawford. He is the teams leading tackler and has also recorded a pick six on the year, making him a threat defensively. Peyton Ramsey must play a very efficient game offensively and the Hoosiers cannot waste any opportunity they have.

Betting Odds

Courtesy of OddsShark

Line: Ohio State -26
Over/under: 64.5

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Prediction

Ohio State is an unstoppable machine offensively, with superstars such as Dwayne Haskins and J.K. Dobbins, it’s virtually impossible to shut them down. However, Indiana doesn’t have to shut them down if they want a chance. Peyton Ramsey is due for a big game and he could give Indiana that kind of performance. The Buckeyes will win, but Indiana gets the backdoor cover easily in Columbus.

Final Score: Indiana 21, Ohio State 38

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