No. 2 Indiana football travels north to Indianapolis on Saturday night for a championship battle with No. 1 Ohio State at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Both teams enter Saturday evening as the only undefeated program in FBS this season. It is also the third 1 vs. 2 conference championship game ever and the first in the Big Ten.
Indiana makes its first appearance in the B1G Championship, while Ohio State returns for its seventh appearance in the competition.
Here’s Inside the Hall’s preview of the Big Ten championship game between the Buckeyes and Hoosiers.
Game information
WHO: No. No. 1 Ohio State (12-0, 9-0 in Big Ten) vs. No. 2 Indiana (12-0, 9-0 in Big Ten)
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
When: Saturday, December 6, 2025. 8:00 PM EST
Television: FOXGus Johnson (play-by-play), Joel Klatt (analyst), Jenny Taft (sideline)
Radio: Don Fischer (play-by-play), Buck Suhr (analyst)
The line: Ohio State -4, over/under 47.5 (DraftKings)
SP+ prediction: Ohio State 26, Indiana 25 (48 percent chance of an IU win)
Meet the opponent
Ohio State has continued its generational success under seventh-year head coach Ryan Day. The Buckeyes have won a total of ten titles (B1G and National), hoisting the national championship trophy last year.
The Scarlet and Gray completed their first perfect season since 2002 with an impressive 27-9 win over Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin leads a talented Buckeye offense. Featuring All-American receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, Sayin completed 78.9 percent of his passes for 3,065 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Ohio State’s offense has been scoring at a high rate this season, averaging 37 points per game. The Buckeyes rely heavily on their top-20 passing game, but have struggled to establish the run game effectively.
Just like last year, Ohio State’s defense is dominant. First-year defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has turned an already feared defense into a horrific one.
The Buckeyes are allowing just 203 yards per game and have allowed 93 points all season. Safety Caleb Downs won Big Ten defensive player of the year honors on Monday. Defensive tackle Kayden McDonald won defensive lineman of the year, while Arvell Reese won linebacker of the year.
Saturday marks the third time Day has brought the program to Indianapolis and the first since 2020.
Injury update
Curt Cignetti did not provide an injury update on Carter Smith during his press conference on Monday.
The offensive lineman dressed during last Friday’s game against Purdue, but didn’t log a snap.
The required Big Ten Availability Report will be released two hours before kickoff, Saturday at 6:00 PM EST.
Storylines
Mendoza and Sayin compete for Heisman
The storylines for Saturday are plentiful, but none are bigger than the quarterback battle between Sayin and Fernando Mendoza.
The signal callers have the best odds to win college football’s highest individual honor. DraftKings lists Mendoza at +160 and Sayin at +200. Mendoza defeated Sayin for Big Ten quarterback of the year and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors on Thursday.
It is widely believed that the winning quarterback will likely claim the prize.
With a defensive battle expected, a “Heisman moment” in the final minutes could be more than enough. A strong statistical line against Ohio State’s venerable defense on Saturday in Indianapolis could be enough for Mendoza to secure the prize, even in a loss.
Needless to say, it will be a fascinating matchup between two of the best quarterbacks in the country.
Who will favor a high-scoring affair?
With the two Heisman hopefuls competing for the prized honor, there is a belief that offense will determine who wins. However, it is likely that both defenses will object to this.
Indiana and Ohio State have allowed a combined 224 points, limiting opposing offenses to minimal yards per game. No team has scored 17 points against the Buckeyes this season, leaving teams in disarray.
Defensively, Indiana will have to avoid the explosive passing plays, a category that Bryant Haines’ defense has struggled with.
The Hoosiers boast a better offense than the Buckeyes on paper. If Indiana can keep up successful drives in the first quarter, it will set the tone for the rest of the game. The winner could very well be the first team with 20 points.
Outlook
Saturday in Indianapolis will be a day for Indiana fans to take over.
The basketball team will tip off at Gainbridge Fieldhouse against No. 6 Louisville at 2:15 p.m., just six hours before kickoff of the biggest game in Indiana football history.
In recent years, Indiana-Ohio State has been a David vs. Goliath match. The worst Hoosier teams were routinely defeated by the Buckeyes, pushing the losing streak to 30 games.
This year, however, the game is a titanic battle: a title battle between two of college football’s best teams. The No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff and a trip to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl are on the line.
The teams offset each other’s strengths on both sides of the ball, making pre-match predictions nearly impossible. This game will come down to big plays. The less explosive play Indiana allows, the better its chances of winning.
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