Ohio State Football: Ranking 2022 opponents by toughness

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day prepares to lead his team on the field during the NCAA football game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021. Ohio State won 54-7.Ohio State Buckeyes At Indiana Hoosiers
Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day prepares to lead his team on the field during the NCAA football game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021. Ohio State won 54-7.Ohio State Buckeyes At Indiana Hoosiers /
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Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Tyreke Smith (11) moves past Indiana Hoosiers offensive lineman Luke Haggard (70) during the second quarter of a NCAA Division I football game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind.Cfb Ohio State Buckeyes At Indiana Hoosiers
Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Tyreke Smith (11) moves past Indiana Hoosiers offensive lineman Luke Haggard (70) during the second quarter of a NCAA Division I football game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind.Cfb Ohio State Buckeyes At Indiana Hoosiers /

Just one year after breaking out and becoming one of the surprise teams in the Big Ten, Indiana went 2-10 in 2021 and all the hype over Tom Allen’s program has faded away.

Losing Michael Penix Jr. isn’t going to help the offense but Connor Bazelak should be solid at quarterback. However, the rest of the offense is shaky, at best, after ranking 123rd in scoring and 124th in yards per game last season.

This team just doesn’t have that it factor anymore.

Rutgers is ahead of an Indiana team that shocked the Big Ten a couple of years ago? Yes, the Scarlet Knights are going to be a solid Big Ten team for a while under Greg Schiano.

Don’t get me wrong, Rutgers is still Rutgers, but the Scarlet Knights are more of a 5-6 win team than a 2-3 win one like they had been for a good decade since joining the Big Ten.

If the Scarlet Knights find any sort of offense and the defense continues to improve, they’ll be a tough matchup but playing in Columbus, this may be a bigger blowout than the 52-13 final from 2021.