Ohio State Offensive Line Faces Its Toughest Test at Indiana

The Ohio State offensive line is the biggest concern in an attack averaging 42.7 points per game. Julian Sayin can find Jeremiah Smith for big gains. But Indiana’s defense has consistently reached opposing backfields.

Ohio State is 5-1, and Indiana is 6-0 with 22 consecutive victories. The last meeting offers a warning. Indiana beat the Buckeyes 13-10 in the 2025 Big Ten Championship Game, sacking Sayin five times and holding Ohio State to 58 rushing yards on 26 carries.

At his Tuesday news conference, coach Ryan Day was asked how his shifting offensive line would handle the Hoosiers. “It is going to be a huge challenge. They do an excellent job up front on defense.” Daniels is expected back, but one healthy starter will not solve everything.

Why the Ohio State Offensive Line Still Looks Unsettled

Daniels suffered an injury at Texas on Sept. 12 and has missed four games. Austin Siereveld moved from right guard to right tackle in his absence, then missed the 45-16 Maryland win on Oct. 10 because of a non-football illness. Gabe VanSickle switched from guard to tackle on short notice, while Jake Cook made his first career start at right guard.

Day said Tuesday that the plan was to move VanSickle back to guard and put Daniels at tackle during practice. Siereveld’s availability remained uncertain. Ohio State could use a fourth right-side combination in seven games. Those changes can disrupt blocking assignments against stunts and delayed blitzes, even when the replacements are capable.

Maryland managed two sacks of Sayin, who also lost a fumble and threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. Indiana poses a tougher test. Ohio State has allowed 11 sacks and averages 165.7 rushing yards per game.

The Numbers Behind Indiana’s Pressure

Indiana has 49 tackles for loss and 20 sacks in six games, ranking third nationally in both categories. Opponents average 2.3 yards per rush. Those figures explain why the Ohio State offensive line must block effectively for runners as well as Sayin.

Kansas State transfer Tobi Osunsanmi leads the Big Ten with 9.5 tackles for loss. Stephen Daley has five sacks, including two against Rutgers and two against Nebraska. The Hoosiers recorded five sacks in their 20-17 win at Nebraska on Oct. 10, including four after halftime. Indiana can pressure the quarterback from multiple positions.

The Buckeyes have a reason to keep throwing. Smith has 48 catches for 916 yards and 11 touchdowns. Indiana coach Curt Cignetti acknowledged the challenge at his Monday news conference. “He’s a freak, and we’re going to have to do a great job on him.”

But Smith’s numbers cannot help on plays when Sayin must scramble or throw before a route develops. Ohio State also needs enough production on early downs to avoid giving Indiana’s pass rush obvious passing situations.

Finishing Drives Could Decide the Rematch

Day pointed to Ohio State’s problems in last year’s conference title game, when it converted four of 13 third downs and scored only 10 points on four red-zone trips. A more recent reminder of why sustaining drives matters. In Texas’ 24-23 comeback against Ohio State, the Buckeyes took a 23-3 lead into the fourth quarter, then failed to score again.

The Buckeyes rushed for 207 yards against Maryland, including 107 on 23 carries from Bo Jackson. Indiana allows only 75 rushing yards per game, so the Ohio State offensive line cannot count on the same openings. A missed block against this Indiana front could derail a possession.

Asked Tuesday about the repeated changes, Day said his staff had prepared its backups to handle them. “This is not something that you don’t plan for. We have a plan in place.”