Ranked fourth nationally, Ohio State made the road trip to face fifth-ranked Indiana on Saturday. The contest marked the third straight pairing of top-five programs and the first time two such highly ranked teams had met at Indiana's Memorial Stadium.

Turnovers and execution lapses accumulated for Ohio State, while Indiana's kicking and return units also struggled to find their footing. Ohio State ultimately prevailed 19-15 when the clock ran out.

With the game winding down, a strip-sack forced quarterback Sayin's throwing arm into an awkward position, bending it back toward the shoulder. He stepped through the locker room door with his arm in a sling and without a helmet. Speaking to reporters after the final whistle, head coach Ryan Day said the Buckeyes' quarterback — a Heisman Trophy finalist — faces a recovery period stretching across multiple weeks.

Fahey was brought on to cover for Sayin. The quarterback recorded zero completions on two pass attempts in his debut season. Fahey has secured the backup quarterback role, though the upcoming bye week leaves the door open for Tavien St. Clair to make a push for playing time at Ohio State.

Throughout the seasons Ryan Day oversaw the quarterback position, Fields and McCord each handled every offensive snap available to them — McCord's stretch notably covering the contest where he stepped in for an absent Stroud — while Howard also completed his campaign without a single missed start.

Kicker Hawkins attempted two short-range kicks and converted both. Punter McGuire recorded five punts on the day, averaging 44.4 yards per kick. Three of his punts pinned Indiana's offense behind its own 20-yard line, and one covered 52 yards downfield.

Neither of Indiana's two field goal attempts was successful. One attempt struck the left upright, while the other fell short of a distance that would have set a career record for Nick Radicic. The four-point final margin between the two teams corresponded to the combined points Indiana failed to score on those two unsuccessful field goal attempts.

A physical ailment kept Ja'Kobi Jackson out of action. Running back West carried six times for 45 yards. Jackson totalled 56 yards of rushing output on the day. Bey came on for a handful of possessions but did not factor into the final result. Ohio State's offensive line was unable to generate consistent running lanes against an Indiana front four that held its ground throughout.

Three players — Jay Timmons, Jaylen McClain, and Earl Little Jr. — drew attention for their work on the defensive side of the ball. Fumble recoveries went Ohio State's way after Timmons and McClain stripped the ball loose, with Little securing one of those loose balls and also batting away a pass.

Indiana's wide receiver unit gave cornerback Devin Sanchez a difficult afternoon. Quarterback Hoover's uneven performance meant the defensive backfield did not record an interception across the entire contest. Wide receiver Smith caught four passes for 68 yards and a touchdown before the final whistle.

The victory placed Ohio State in a favorable position to reach the Big Ten Championship Game. Following a bye week, the program's next scheduled contest is an away game at USC's Coliseum.