COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- We've reached the homestretch of the regular season as Ohio State enters the final two weeks with pivotal matchups. Before its meeting with Michigan, the Buckeyes face an undefeated Indiana squad in its third top-five game this season.
Kickoff is set for noon at Ohio Stadium.
"Our guys have done a great job of identifying the things that, early in the season, we need to do a better job at," coach Ryan Day said. "This will be a great challenge for them and a great test. ... Our guys are excited to play in this game. It's a very good challenge. They have a very good team."
Since falling to the Hoosiers in in 1987 and 1988, Ohio State has not lost to the Hoosiers in 28 straight meetings. A win for either will keep hopes of making the Big Ten championship game intact.
Ohio State will have to play without center Seth McLaughlin, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon in practice this week. It's the latest setback for an offensive line that lost left tackle Josh Simmons to a knee injury last month.
Here are three things to know about the game.
Indiana comes in 10-0 for the first time. It's also the first time the Hoosiers have won 10 games in a season. It's a testament to what first-year coach Curt Cignetti has done since leading James Madison to success for five seasons, accumulating a 52-9 record.
"I think we have a confident team that believes and takes care of business. They prep well. They're detailed," Cignetti said. "They played fairly consistently to a standard, not circumstances of the game, and that's what we preach."
Day thinks Indiana's players don't get enough credit. The offense is led by transfer quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who spent five years at Ohio University and has thrown for 2,410 yards and 21 touchdowns against four interceptions. Running backs Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton have combined for 18 touchdowns, and Elijah Sarratt leads the receivers with six touchdowns.
"They have good players, and they've done a nice job of changing their roster and upgrading their roster in certain areas. They play very hard," Day said. "They've been very successful in everything that they've been looking to do in terms of installing a culture in all three phases."
It's been a familiar theme for the Buckeyes: They've gotten off to slow starts. Last week against Northwestern was a particular challenge when the Wildcats ate up 10 minutes of the first quarter and limited Ohio State to just one possession.
It makes fans wonder if maybe getting the ball first would've been a better move after winning the coin toss.
"It's fine when you get a three and out. It's not fine when you know you're not getting them off the field on third down, and they're controlling the first quarter," Day said.
The Buckeyes have been able to overcome most of those slow starts with second-half adjustments. Although Day would like to see the offense score on its first possession and the defense force three and outs, he knows it's easier said than done in the Big Ten.
"We play against good teams, and they have good players. They're going to move the ball every now and again and convert on some third downs. That's part of the game," Day said. "I see us right from the jump playing hard. I see us playing physical. I see us playing with an edge. And that's got to continue."
Day said efficiency and execution will be especially important against a Hoosiers team that's had two weeks to prepare coming off a bye.
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard enters the game as one of the best passers in the country. He ranks second nationally in completion percentage (72.9) and third in efficiency (181.9). The Pennsylvania native has already set Ohio State career and season records with five games completing at least 80% of his passes.
But for Howard, the only statistic that matters is wins and losses.
"If that means I'm taking care of the football and distributing it well and getting completions, then that's a good thing," Howard said. "If I do my job and do what I have to do, then that number should look good.
His accuracy will be under the microscope, as he faces a third top-five opponent.
"This team is seasoned. We've played in two of these games now. This is another big matchup game," Howard said. "It can come down to one play. We gotta be ready for whatever. We gotta have a great week of preparation and let everything take care of itself."
