NOV 25 (V7N) - The No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers 38-15 on Saturday, handing Indiana its first loss of the season and cementing a pivotal victory in their quest for the Big Ten Championship.

Indiana started strong with a 2-yard touchdown run by running back Ty Son Lawton on their opening drive, taking a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. However, Ohio State quickly took control, scoring 31 unanswered points to break open the game.

In the second quarter, quarterback Will Howard connected with wide receiver Emeka Egbuka for an 11-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7-7. Indiana’s hopes further dimmed just before halftime, when senior punter James Evans mishandled a snap, giving Ohio State great field position at Indiana’s 7-yard line. On the next play, TreVeyon Henderson ran in for a 4-yard touchdown, putting the Buckeyes up 14-7 at the break.

The Buckeyes continued to dominate in the second half. Caleb Downs made a major impact with a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter, marking the first punt return touchdown for Ohio State since 2014. Later in the quarter, Howard connected with tight end Jelani Thurman for a 1-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 28-7.

In the fourth, Ohio State added a 45-yard field goal to seal the game. Ohio State’s defense was suffocating, holding Indiana to just 148 total yards, the fewest allowed by the Buckeyes against a ranked opponent since 2007.

After the game, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day praised his team's performance: “We wanted to finish it the right way and make sure that everybody knows that this is the Ohio State Buckeyes. I thought we played physical all across the board. Our guys had a great look in their eyes.”

Ohio State has now won 30 consecutive games against Indiana. With both teams tied at 7-1 in conference play, the Big Ten race is far from over. No. 4 Penn State is also in contention at 6-1, setting up a crucial final week of regular-season matchups.

Ohio State will face Michigan in a high-stakes rivalry game next Saturday in Columbus. If the Buckeyes win, they will advance to the Big Ten Championship against the No. 1 Oregon Ducks. Meanwhile, Indiana will play Purdue and still has a chance to make the championship game if they win and Ohio State and Penn State lose. Penn State also plays Maryland, with a win potentially putting them in line to face Oregon if Ohio State loses.

The final weekend will decide which team faces Oregon in Indianapolis for the BigTen title on December 7.

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