Saturday, Nov. 23
12:05 p.m. Eastern, 9:05 a.m. Pacific
Fox
The game of the week in college football includes the Indiana Hoosiers. Wait a minute, that can’t be right. It’s November 23, just before Thanksgiving. Indiana is involved in the game of the week? Yes, it’s true. Indiana is 10-0 for the first time in school history. The Hoosiers, who have made the Rose Bowl exactly once in their history – and not in the past 55 years – are playing for both a College Football Playoff berth and a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game, which will be held in Indianapolis. It is absolutely remarkable what coach Curt Cignetti has done in the span of one season in Bloomington. It’s not as though Indiana was a good team last year. It’s not as though Cignetti inherited a program which was ready to win. Cignetti came in and brought a number of players with him from James Madison. Did Indiana figure to be better in 2024 than it was in 2023? Yes … but James Madison transfers weren’t supposed to be enough to go 10-0 and play for the biggest prizes in the Big Ten and college football at large.
Cignetti has done the unthinkable, and he has also created a situation in which future new coaches at various schools will be held to a higher standard by athletic directors and fans. “Curt Cignetti turned around Indiana in one year. If he could do that, what about you, coach?” The Indiana story has been the season’s most seismic and improbable development. Cignetti is a lock for national coach of the year. Now we get to see what his Indiana team, coming off a much-needed week of rest, can do against Ohio State, a top-three team which needs this win to have any chance of getting a rematch against Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game. The Buckeyes will not face Oregon if they lose here. It’s the biggest game on the board, and we can’t wait to see what happens.
Indiana Hoosiers-Ohio State Buckeyes Odds
Spread: Indiana +13.5 (-115), Ohio State -13.5 (-105)
Total: 51.5 (Over -114, Under -106)
Underdog moneyline: Indiana +385
Hear why guest analyst Jason Powers loves Indiana with the points on our latest “3 Dog Thursday Podcast” by clicking play below,
Hoosiers toughest test to date
The line for this game was Ohio State minus-11.5 points, and it has been bet up to 13.5 points in favor of the Buckeyes. It’s natural for the betting public to think that little ol’ Indiana doesn’t have much of a chance and will get overwhelmed in the spotlight. It’s not just the spotlight which might affect Indiana; Ohio State just has a ton of talent on both sides of the ball. Even if Indiana players make smart decisions, they might still get smothered by the greater speed and physicality the Buckeyes offer. That’s one theory of how this game will unfold.
The other theory: Curt Cignetti will outcoach Ryan Day. Indiana, with a week off, will be healthier and – as the big underdog – will have absolutely nothing to lose. Which theory do you buy into? That’s the play you should make. We don’t have a strong opinion on which theory is the better, more likely theory. Ohio State does have better players, but quarterback Will Howard is a relatively average quarterback. If Howard plays well, OSU blows the doors off this game, but we’re not actually sold on Howard doing that. We’re going to stay away from this game, but if you have a strong “theory of the case,” go ahead and test it out in what is a fun game to debate from a betting perspective.