OSU Buckeyes

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The AP poll national championship talk took a backseat to simply surviving late on Saturday night.

But Ohio State held on for a wild, 52-49 win over Indiana at Memorial Stadium, and that moved the program one week closer to a perfect season.

It also nudged them one spot closer to the top of the polls when the AP rankings were released on Sunday afternoo. The Buckeyes climbed up to No. 7 in the nation and remain clearly the class of the Big Ten, according to the voters.

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Giving up 49 points to Indiana? Whoa. But the Buckeyes won, and already have more victories than they did all last season, and scored more points in back-to-back games since scoring 142 in routs of Rice and Pittsburgh to start the 1996 Rose Bowl season. This is Across The Field, a regular feature on BuckeyeNation where we point you to noteworthy Buckeyes coverage here and elsewhere. Think something should be included? Send it to espnkendrick@gmail.com.

 

Ohio State 52, Indiana 49

• It wasn't perfect, but the record still is, writes Austin Ward.
• We're beginning to see a pattern, writes Doug Lesmerises. (Plain Dealer)
• Indiana is usually a gimme, but this one was wild, writes Bill Rabinowitz. (Dispatch)
• There's little glamour in beating Indiana, but the alternative is dreadful, writes Bob Hunter. (Dispatch)
• Braxton Miller has earned a trip to New York, writes Bill Livingston. (Plain Dealer)
• OSU is 273-0-1 in games it has scored 35 points or more, but there's something wrong with the defense, writes John Kampf. (News-Herald)
• Indiana is finally building a positive identity. (Indianapolis Star)

BuckeyeNation Week in Review

• The piranhas on the kickoff team have been sharp.
• Carlos Hyde, who had another huge game at Indiana, always seeks out his blockers to celebrate.
• We've already heard John Simon is "Tebowish" from Urban Meyer -- now we learn that Braxton Miller is Harvin-ish.
• Ward has a breakdown of the freshman linebackers vying for time -- guess they aren't quite ready, because Zach Boren played a lot of linebacker at Indiana.
• John Simon just doesn't naturally talk about injuries.
• The Ohio State-Texas home-and-home was great in 2005-06. We'll see it again in 2022-23.
• A 2014 recruit from Massillon has Buckeye blood.
• The 2013 class got another chance to bond at the Nebraska game. It was a huge recruiting opportunity, writes Brad Bournival.
• Former Penn State pledge Dorian Johnson enjoyed his trip to Columbus.
• A 2014 lineman want to make another visit later in the season.
• There's no real pipeline from Iowa to Ohio State -- but a receiver prospect likes the Buckeyes.
• QB recruit J.T. Barrett is out with a torn ACL.
• A 2013 Florida linebacker got a scholarship offer.

Football

• Assistant coach Ed Warinner wasn't a lineman in his playing days, but he certainly knows how to motivate them. (Plain Dealer)
• Victory Meal continues to be a weekly highlight. (Plain Dealer)
• If you're a Columbus pizza delivery person, don't insult an assistant coach's family. (Plain Dealer)
• There's no sense in denying it -- Miller is a Heisman candidate, writes Rob Oller. (Dispatch)
• Breaking down a play that worked well against Nebraska. (The-Ozone.net)
• Tight ends not named Stoneburner are also becoming involved in the offense. (Dispatch)
• A Zanesville, Ohio family with the last name of Miller have named their daughter after a certain fleet-footed quarterback. (WSYX)

Basketball

• The Buckeyes reported to practice this week, and Aaron Craft is at full strength.
• Both the basketball team (Deshaun Thomas) and the football team (Rod Smith) have a Fort Wayne connection. (Plain Dealer)

The Gang's All Here

• The Ohio State marching band's show on video games from last Saturday is a viral video sensation. (The horse galloping was spectacular.) (Plain Dealer)
• And the interim band director became the permanent band director afterward. (Lantern)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Ohio State staged another shootout.

It still has the better weapons.

The Buckeyes kept their record perfect behind another explosive offensive performance, riding Braxton Miller and Carlos Hyde on the ground and getting a couple touchdown receptions from Devin Smith to hold off feisty Indiana in a 52-49 decision on Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.

It was over when: During a brief interruption of the Braxton Miller Show, backup quarterback Kenny Guiton came off the bench to finish off a touchdown drive and effectively put away the Hoosiers. After a late hit briefly sidelined Miller, Guiton rolled to his right and flipped a shovel pass to Carlos Hyde that opened up a two-score margin for the Buckeyes in a game that had tightened back up in the second half. The Hoosiers made it interesting late, but the lead the Buckeyes had built was ultimately too big.

Game ball goes to: Braxton Miller didn’t have his best stuff throughout the game, but the sophomore quarterback was on enough to again bust loose for a long, 67-yard touchdown run on the way to another 100-yard performance on the ground. He also complemented it with a gorgeous, 60-yard scoring strike to Devin Smith and an efficient outing through the air to keep the Buckeyes unbeaten.

Stat of the game: Smith put a couple throws his way on the ground, but both times he was able to hang on to the football he found himself in the end zone. All the sophomore needed were two catches to rack up 106 yards through the air and give the Buckeyes a couple critical touchdowns.

How the game was won: The Hoosiers had an aggressive scheme against the spread option and tackled well on the perimeter, but they had no answer for the Buckeyes between the tackles. Miller’s 67-yard score came up the middle, and running back Carlos Hyde was a force on the inside, regularly breaking tackles, moving the pile and making life difficult for Indiana.

What it means: Ohio State still has some flaws, but it also has a perfect record. Injuries took a toll on the Buckeyes defensively, so much so that fullback Zach Boren spent the game playing linebacker trying to help a unit that continues to give up big plays and miss critical tackles.

But the Hoosiers still have much more pressing concerns than the Buckeyes, and their futility in the series continued despite jumping out to an early lead and having chances to swing momentum against a team at less than full strength.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- In what amounts to a neutral site, both sets of fans have had something to cheer about.

Indiana grabbed a lead thanks to a successful rushing attack and a blocked punt.

Ohio State returned the favor by scoring on a block of its own and then watching Braxton Miller show off his improved accuracy as a passer.

By the end of a competitive first half in Memorial Stadium, the Buckeyes had overcome a somewhat sluggish start and lead the Hoosiers 24-14 despite dealing with a rash of injuries on defense.

Stat of the half: Both teams blocked a punt with special teams stealing the spotlight early, but Ohio State’s block earned more style points by leading directly to a touchdown. Bradley Roby again pounced on the loose ball in the end zone, his second score of the season on the punt-block unit.

Player of the half: Even when he’s not at his best, Braxton Miller still has the biggest impact of anybody on the field. When the Ohio State quarterback was indecisive, he paid for it with some negative plays on the ground. But he showed how dangerous he’s becoming as a passer with another deep strike to Devin Smith that covered 60 yards for a touchdown and gave the Buckeyes some late breathing room.

What’s working for Ohio State: There have been a few issues getting to the perimeter, but the Buckeyes are having no real problems picking up chunks of yardage between the tackles, with Carlos Hyde again bulling through tackles and building a head of steam. The junior had 9 carries in the half for 59 yards, and he can surely expect a heavier workload after intermission.

What’s working for Indiana: The Hoosiers have sold out to stop the run, and the worst rushing defense in the Big Ten largely has held its own against the high-powered Buckeyes. Miller has broke free a couple times and Hyde has been a load to bring down on the interior, but Indiana also has mixed in some tackles for a loss during a competitive first half.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Ohio State will be short one more veteran defensive starter than expected.

Already with a hole to fill at linebacker after losing Etienne Sabino to a broken bone in his leg, the Buckeyes will be without another senior on the defensive line thanks to a concussion for Nathan Williams.

According to a school spokesman, Williams didn't travel with the team and also didn't work in practice all week as the Buckeyes prepared for tonight's visit to Indiana.

The pass rush had been strengthened over the last couple games as Williams chipped off some remaining rust after last year's microfracture knee surgery, with bookend John Simon also shaking off nagging injuries. But to keep that momentum rolling, Ohio State likely will need another recovering lineman to chip in along with a true freshman -- Michael Bennett or Noah Spence, respectively.

Other updates from Ohio State:

• Najee Murray: The freshman defensive back and special teams contributor is out for the season after having knee surgery to repair his anterior cruciate ligament.
• Armani Reeves: Another freshman in the secondary and on special teams didn't travel due to a health concern, with Reeves dealing with an ankle sprain.
• Verlon Reed: The wide receiver changed numbers and will wear No. 8 moving forward.

After the noon games wrap up, there are just two more contests left in the Big Ten. But both involve the league's only ranked teams. Here's what you can expect:

Illinois (2-4, 0-2 Big Ten) at No. 25 Michigan (3-2, 1-0), 3:30 p.m. ABC (ESPN in outer markets): Are the Wolverines back as the Legends Division favorite? You guys seem to think so. Last week's 44-13 win at Purdue was awfully impressive. Michigan will be a big favorite over the struggling Illini, who have dropped their last four games against FBS opponents by a combined score of 163-59. Denard Robinson needs 222 yards of total offense to reach 10,000 for his career. If he gets more than that, the Wolverines will have a great chance to get to 2-0 in the league.

No. 8 Ohio State (6-0, 2-0) at Indiana (2-3, 0-2), 8 p.m., Big Ten Network: The Buckeyes haven't lost to the Hoosiers since 1987, so overconfidence would seem to be their biggest opponent this weekend. But Indiana is showing progress and pushed Michigan State to the brink last week after battling Northwestern on the road a week earlier. And spread offenses like the one Kevin Wilson runs have given the Ohio State defense fits this season. Still, Braxton Miller and Carlos Hyde should enjoy going against the Big Ten's worst rushing defense, and if the Buckeyes play anywhere near the level they did last week against Nebraska, they shouldn't have too many problems in Bloomington.

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer talks about the Buckeyes' wins this season, the evolution of offensive football and his physical health.

With several of the nation's top football recruits taking both official and unofficial visits last week, our experts at RecruitingNation made some major tweaks to our top 10 recruiting battles with five new entrants in the fold. The top two remain the same, however, as Robert Nkemdiche and Laremy Tunsil maintain their spots as the two most impactful players on the recruiting scene.

For the latest edition of #BlueChipBattles, click here.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Quick-hitters with the Ohio State basketball team, which hosted its media day on Thursday ahead of the first practice of the preseason.

Back on point: Aaron Craft hadn't taken two weeks off since he was in middle school, and if it had been solely up to him, that streak would still be alive.

But surgery on his nagging ankle injury in June and the cast that was subsequently slapped on it kept the tireless Ohio State point guard off his feet and forced him to actually take a bit off time to rest his body over the summer. And while Craft recognized the value of that recovery time and admitted he came back rejuvenated, he still doesn't seem eager to take another vacation moving forward.

"I couldn’t do anything because I was in a cast, so that was very interesting and challenging for me, watching these guys work out and shoot and play," Craft said. "That was probably the toughest thing. Getting back, it was good for my entire body to take time off. I wouldn’t have done that on my own.

"I felt reenergized and ready to go when I got back, and ultimately it was probably the best thing for me."

The relentless junior has never been accused of running low on energy, and a fresher, healthier version of Craft could make life even more difficult for opponents battling the lockdown defender on the offensive end.

The Buckeyes are likely counting on him to provide a bit more scoring when they have the ball as well as they try to replace the production of Jared Sullinger and William Buford, and it certainly won't hurt if Craft doesn't have to spend much time this season limping from the pain that used to shoot through his ankle.

"The rest probably helped him," coach Thad Matta said. "He’s a guy that doesn’t like to take days off, when he’s in here he’s going 100 miles an hour. From that perspective, it’s probably good.

"I haven’t noticed [a change in his approach], what I have noticed is he doesn’t trip on his foot and then limp for the next minute. He seems to be perfectly fine."

Old hands: The Buckeyes aren't exactly loaded with seniors.

But they've got one more of those upperclassmen than they do freshmen with only one of the latter on the roster, which might actually qualify Ohio State as a veteran outfit. And that could make for a much smoother experience when the Buckeyes hit the practice court as a full unit on Friday.

"It’s very valuable," junior Deshaun Thomas said. "We all know what coach Matta wants out of us in practice, and we’ve got one freshmen, so the other guys should already know what he wants and what it takes to win.

"Coach Matta preaches toughness. Once you’re out there in a drill and you show him you’re doing it right, he’ll cut the drill short. Everybody on this team should know what he wants and give it their all. We don’t have to help a lot of freshmen pick it up and understand what to do, so everybody should know what’s expected tomorrow."

High five: Matta didn't tip his hand on a starting lineup, preferring instead to let practice play out and then go from there.

But it's no secret how he'll figure out that group when the time comes.

"I told them the other day, I’m going to start the five best defenders," Matta said. "I think from the standpoint of trying to get those guys to understand where I’m coming from, with what we have, I think we’ll have great depth this year.

"There’s a lot of quality out there, and I’m excited to see these guys compete in four-day increments as we’re getting ready to practice."