Make the Case: Ohio State will continue their winning streak over Texas… and get revenge against Indiana
· Yahoo Sports
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about taking a stand and proving your point. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all our “Make the Case” articles here.
Look, the fact that it’s been six years since the Buckeyes won the Big Ten Championship is not lost on me. That’s a long time for the card-carrying member of the Big Ten, but it also speaks to the fact that the Big Ten is the best conference in college football.
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It’s become that way, for sure. It’s a deeper, bigger conference, courtesy of realignment, and it’s a brand of football that can create some unpredictability. Did anybody realistically expect Indiana to win the National Championship last year?
They did, though, and they appear to be primed and reloaded for this season.
Ohio State is suddenly looking up at Indiana on the Big Ten throne. Who would have thought that just a few years ago? In addition, the Buckeyes play in Bloomington in mid-October this season.
When they go for revenge, they will be on the road in what will be a raucous environment at the home of the reigning champions. Indiana is no longer a pushover for Ohio State. The Buckeyes have to beat the champs if they want to be the champs in the Big Ten, as crazy as that is to say.
Fortunately for the Buckeyes, I believe they will walk into Bloomington and win.
Ohio State will understand the assignment and find a way to win a big road game. Indiana lost a lot this offseason. While their roster is strong going into this season, they lost many key players from their national championship team last year.
Ohio State still has Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin. Those two alone can change this game, let alone any game. All the pressure will be on Indiana to live up to the moment in what will most likely be their biggest home game in school history. All the Buckeyes have to do is walk into Bloomington and play their game.
Another thing the Buckeyes have going for them is a winning streak against Texas. Ohio State beat the Longhorns twice in the 2025 calendar year. One of those wins came in the College Football Playoff in January of 2025. Ohio State backed that up with a win in the season-opener in August of that year.
Obviously, Ohio State lost a lot from last year on both sides of the ball. But Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith are still here. Keep in mind that Julian Sayin made his first career start against Texas last year. The Buckeyes didn’t ask him to do too much in that game, but that’s going to be a much different story this year in Austin.
In a game where there will be stars all over the field, Sayin will be given the full playbook to unleash on Texas’ defense. Ohio State should go into Austin and win. They are the more talented team, and they have the winning pedigree against the Longhorns.
A win would be the Buckeyes’ third over Texas in the last 21 months.
This year’s schedule for Ohio State is significantly tougher than last year’s was. Road games at Texas, Indiana and USC will not be easy, and the Buckeyes also host Oregon in November — plus the obvious game at the end of there regular season in Columbus.
For Texas, it will be about Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith being the best players on the field. At Indiana, can the Buckeyes find a way to run the football and limit explosive plays from Indiana’s passing game? Those are the questions that will determine the outcome of that game.
Still, this is Ohio State. I’m making the case for them to continue their winning streak over Texas and get revenge against Indiana. Those two games are crucial for the Buckeyes and where they stand in the Big Ten and on a national level.