COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — In a game with postseason implications, No. 2 Ohio State scored 31 unanswered points to beat No. 5 Indiana, 38-15, keeping Big Ten championship hopes alive. 

In front of a crowd of 105,751 fans, quarterback Will Howard threw for two touchdowns and ran for another while Caleb Downs scored Ohio State’s first punt return for a touchdown in a decade.

“I thought the crowd was awesome. I thought our guys played with great passion. I thought the two of them just played off each other the entire game,” head coach Ryan Day said. “I think the fact that [Indiana] had to go to a silent count made a difference in this game.”

After Indiana’s Ty Lawton opened the scoring in the first quarter with a two-yard touchdown run, the Buckeyes got on the board in the second quarter when Howard found wide receiver Emeka Egbuka for the 11-yard touchdown. Then following a botched snap on the punt return, OSU took the lead thanks to TreVeyon Henderson, who scored a four-yard touchdown run in the final minute of the half.

Downs broke several tackles and spun his way to a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown early in the third quarter to put OSU up 21-7 over the Hoosiers. It was the school’s first since Jalin Marshall did it on Nov. 22, 2014, which came, ironically, against Indiana.

“There was no doubt that I was going to field it. Enough space there and everybody did a really good job blocking,” Downs said. “We talked about it all week that we had a real opportunity to enjoy this win. Just a true blessing from God to really be able to put it in the end zone.”

Following Downs’ score, Jelani Thurman added another touchdown with a one-yard reception later in the third to extend the lead to 28-7. Jayden Fielding added a 45-yard field goal to make it 31-7.

Indiana found the endzone late with a Ty Lawton touchdown followed by a two-point conversion to make it 31-14 with 1:53 to go in the game. The Buckeyes responded with a three-play drive that ended with Howard scoring a one-yard touchdown run to make it 38-15.

The OSU defense largely shut down the Hoosiers following their opening drive, sacking quarterback Kurtis Rourke five times and limiting Indiana to 151 total yards.

The Hoosiers (10-0) were the third top-five opponent that the Buckeyes faced this season. They previously lost to then-No. 3 Oregon before beating then-No. 3 Penn State last month. Both of those games were on the road.

Ohio State took the field with changes to the offensive line after graduate transfer Seth McLaughlin suffered a season-ending injury in practice earlier this week. Carson Hinzman took McLaughlin’s place at center, and Austin Siereveld moved to left guard.

The Buckeyes now have a firm grasp of a spot in the Big Ten championship game next month heading into the final week of the regular season. The Ducks have already clinched a spot for the game Dec. 7 in Indianapolis. OSU now turns its attention to Michigan, who visits the Shoe next Saturday.

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