Ohio State vs Indiana Picks and Prediction for Saturday October 17, 2026
The Ohio State Buckeyes will travel to Bloomington, Indiana, Saturday afternoon for a highly anticipated Big Ten matchup against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 PM with national coverage available on FOX. Ohio State enters the weekend ranked No. 4 nationally with a 5-1 overall record and a perfect 3-0 mark in conference play following a convincing 45-16 victory against Maryland. Indiana comes into this matchup ranked No. 5 nationally with a perfect 6-0 record and a 3-0 conference mark following a narrow 20-17 road victory against Nebraska. Ohio State is a 3.5-point favorite, with the total set at 50.5 points. The Buckeyes are -180 on the moneyline, while Indiana comes in at +150. Don't miss out on our latest College Football Picks.
Ohio State looks to stay in the top 5
Julian Sayin is leading the Ohio State offense this season with 1772 yards and 17 touchdowns on 116 completions, along with 17 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries. Bo Jackson is the top runner this season for Ohio State with 460 yards and four touchdowns on 89 carries. Ja’Kobi Jackson has added 59 carries for 354 yards and six scores this season. Jeremiah Smith is a potential Heisman candidate this season, leading Ohio State with 916 yards and 11 scores on 48 receptions. Devin McCuin is second on the roster with 245 yards and two scores on 17 catches. Nate Roberts has come up big with 160 yards and two scores on 10 grabs this season.
The Ohio State offense was phenomenal a week ago, scoring 45 points, including 31 in the first half on 449 total yards. Defensively, Ohio State did the work, giving up 16 points on 146 yards in the game. Julian Sayin led the way for the Ohio State offense last week with 242 yards and four touchdowns on 13 completions. Bo Jackson was the top ball carrier in the game with 107 yards and two scores on 23 carries, and Ja’Kobi Jackson added 76 yards on 14 carries. Jeremiah Smith was the top target for Ohio State a week ago with 93 yards and two touchdowns on 4 grabs. Nate Roberts chipped in one catch for 68 yards and one score.
Indiana goes for the home win
Josh Hoover is leading the Indiana offense this season with 1364 yards and 17 touchdowns on 88 completions, along with 42 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries. Turbo Richard is the top ball carrier for Indiana this season with 597 yards and five scores on 71 carries. Lee Beebe Jr. is the other side of the 1-2 punch in the backfield for Indiana with 551 yards and four scores on 98 carries. Charlie Becker is leading Indiana this season with 529 yards and eight touchdowns on 30 receptions. Nick Marsh is added in heavily with 29 catches for 528 yards and six scores.
Indiana did just enough last week, scoring 20 points, including fourteen in the fourth quarter, on 328 total yards. Defensively, Indiana was shaky, giving up 17 points on 392 total yards but forced one turnover to seal the victory. Josh Hoover carried Indiana to the win last week, leading the team with 263 yards and two touchdowns on 12 completions, along with 24 yards on five carries. Lee Beebe Jr. added a team-high 31 yards on 9 carries. Nick Marsh was the top target in the game with 187 yards and two touchdowns on 6 grabs. Charlie Becker chipped in three catches for 52 yards.
Ohio State vs Indiana Picks and Prediction
Pick: Ohio State Buckeyes -3.5
Ohio State faces one of its most difficult challenges of the season Saturday afternoon against an unbeaten Indiana team. The Buckeyes have been effective on both sides of the football and should have enough talent to challenge the Hoosiers throughout the game. Indiana has played extremely well this season and will have the benefit of playing in front of its home crowd, but Ohio State has the experience necessary to handle a difficult road environment. The Buckeyes will need to establish their offense and keep Indiana from dictating the pace. The Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith combo will lead the Buckeyes' offense against a good Indiana defense. Expect a competitive matchup between two of the top teams in the country, with Ohio State making enough plays down the stretch to get the win and cover on the road.
Pick: Under 50.5
Ohio State and Indiana could find themselves in a physical defensive battle Saturday afternoon with plenty at stake in the Big Ten standings. Both teams have been effective defensively and should be able to limit the number of explosive scoring opportunities throughout the game. Ohio State will look to establish its offensive attack and control possession, while Indiana should take a similar approach against a talented Buckeyes defense. Neither team can afford to make costly mistakes in a matchup that could be decided late. Expect both defenses to produce important stops and force the opposing offenses to work for every point. Take the under in this BIG 10 matchup.