Ohio State Buckeyes’ Shocking Big Ten Collapse: What Went Horribly Wrong Against Indiana?

The Ohio State Buckeyes’ unbeaten streak finally hit a snag in the Big Ten title game, thanks to a spirited Indiana Hoosiers squad that just wouldn’t back down. After that thrilling victory over Michigan ended a long four-game drought against their fiercest rivals, it seemed like Ohio State was poised to clinch yet another crown. But here’s a twist—what if that game against Michigan was the real season decider, not the showdown with Indiana? Coach Ryan Day and his crew knew the stakes, yet the Hoosiers delivered a surprise that jolted Buckeye nation. Sure, the sting of missing out on the 41st Big Ten title is palpable, but in this new era of a 12-team College Football Playoff, one loss doesn’t close the door on national glory anymore. So, can Ohio State bounce back and reclaim their spot at the pinnacle, or has the changing landscape rewritten the championship playbook for good? LEARN MORE.

The Ohio State Buckeyes saw their undefeated run come to an end in the Big Ten title game against an inspired Indiana Hoosiers team. The loss came a week after Ohio State got the most important win of their season when they beat Michigan to end a four-game losing streak against their archrivals.

That was the game Ohio State really wanted. If they had won the Big Ten title, it would have been nice. However, they had to beat Michigan or the heat under coach Ryan Day’s seat would have been intense. There certainly is some amount of disappointment at not coming through with the team’s 41st Big Ten title. However, Day, his coaching staff and the Ohio State players are no longer concerned about that defeat. They are now onto the College Football Playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the competition. Indiana is the top seed.

The loss to Indiana is not going to hurt their chances of repeating as national champions. That’s the goal of this program, and while the Buckeyes were not happy about losing to the Hoosiers, college football has changed dramatically. In a past era, going undefeated was often one of the keys to winning a national championship. That is no longer the case with a 12-team college football playoff.

College teams are playing 16 games in order to play for a national championship. That’s a whole different animal than the era that saw a team play 9, 10 or 11 regular-season games and a bowl game to make a claim of being the best team in the nation.

Day did not play this as all or nothing game

Even though Ohio State dropped a 13-10 decision to Indiana in the conference title game as 4 1/2-point favorites, winning a national championship is still on the table. There were issues for Ohio State, and the biggest reasons for the loss appear to lie on the shoulders of Day, quarterback Julian Sayin and placekicker Jayden Fielding

There is little doubt that the Ohio State coach did everything he could to prepare his team for a peak effort in the win over Michigan. It did not appear that he had the same intention or intensity for this game against the Hoosiers.

Instead of putting out his best offensive linemen on all the crucial plays in this game, Day made it a point to rotate his offensive linemen. Ohio State did not convert a third down play until the third quarter and it was clear that right guard Tegra Tshabola was struggling with his assignments. He was replaced by Gabe VanSickle and that’s when the Buckeyes were able to drive down the field.

Day explained why VanSickle wasn’t inserted earlier. “We wanted to split the work up in this game and take some pressure off of both of those guys,” Day said, per Cameron Teague Robinson of The Athletic. “We will decide if that’s the right thing to do going forward.”

Sayin not at his best, neither was PK

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) lines up during the first half of the Big Ten Conference championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2025. — Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sayin went into this game in a battle with Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza for the Heisman Trophy. Perhaps Mendoza had a slight edge, but a decisive performance by Sayin could have swung the award in his favor. It did not play out that way.

Sayin had a nice statistical game as he completed 21 of 29 passes for 258 yards with a TD pass to Carnell Tate and an interception. However, when the Buckeyes needed Sayin to gain a yard for a key first down in the fourth quarter he was unable to do so.

Sayin was unable to make things happen when the game was on the line for the Buckeyes. He had done that for 12 straight games in the regular season, but he could not get the best of the Indiana defense and the Buckeyes were unable to come up with the victory.

Indiana took the lead in the third quarter on a touchdown pass from Mendoza to Elijah Sarratt. The Buckeyes were forced to play catch-up football in the second half for the first time this season.

Ohio State drove 81 yards in 15 plays in the fourth quarter, but the drive stalled at the Indiana 9-yard line with just under 3 minutes remaining. Day sent Fielding out to attempt a 27-yard field goal that would have tied the game at 13-13. Fielding hooked the attempt from the right hashmark and the ball sailed wide.

Instead of tying the score, the Buckeyes no longer had possession. The Hoosiers were able to hold onto the football until the final 18 seconds. The Buckeyes were not assured of winning the game if Fielding had been successful, but they would have extended the game — perhaps sending it to overtime.

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