Indiana at Ohio State: What you need to know about Saturday’s game

Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

TV/Radio: FOX/1410

Series history: Ohio State leads 78-12-5, has won 27 in a row and has not lost since dropping back-to-back games in 1987 and ‘88. The first meeting was in 1901, and the only active series older for Ohio State are Illinois and Michigan.

Last meeting: C.J. Stroud threw four touchdown passes and Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson combined for 141 yards rushing as Ohio State romped in the rain in Bloomington 54-7 last season. The Ohio State defense had 14 tackles for loss.

Coaches: Ohio State’s Ryan Day is 43-4 in four seasons, including 29–1 in the Big Ten and 3-0 against Indiana. Tom Allen is 29-38 in six seasons at Indiana and 0-5 against Ohio State.

Ohio State notes: The Buckeyes have more wins against Indiana than any other school… Ohio State’s winning streak over Indiana is the longest active streak in the nation… The Buckeyes have scored at least 20 points in an FBS record 70 consecutive games… Saturday is Military Appreciation Day at Ohio Stadium… Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson was head coach of the Hoosiers from 2011-16… Offensive line coach Justin Fry started a school-record 45 consecutive games for the Hoosiers from 2202-06… Ohio State has ramped up recruiting Indiana in recent years and has four Hoosier State natives on the roster: DE Caden Curry (Greenwood), OL Zen Michalski (Floyds Knob), OL Josh Fryar (Beech Grove) and OL Dawand Jones (Indianapolis).

Indiana notes: The Hoosiers are 100th or worse in nearly every major statistical category with the exception of passing yards (55th) and rushing defense (83rd)… Alter grad Connor Bazelak started first IU’s eight games but was inactive Saturday because of an injury. He is third in the Big Ten in passing yards 2,099 and passing yards per game 262.4 but 14th in passing efficiency (107.1)… Indiana is 38th in red zone defense… FootballOutsiders.com ranks Indiana’s offensive line last in the nation in run blocking.

Quoted: Allen on trying to break a six-game losing streak: “It’s a challenge for sure when you have continuous setbacks that are tough. But you share with them from your heart to theirs. You motivate them. You encourage them, challenge them. You really, I think you appeal to the core of who you are and why you do what you do. The conversation, the challenge I gave to our team this morning in our team meeting was really around that focus of the core of your individual character and what makes you persevere when things are hard, which is really one of the huge benefits of being an athlete is having this preparation process that we go through, as hard as it is and challenging as it is, which right now it’s difficult on everybody that’s part of this program.”

Next week: Ohio State goes on the road to face Maryland next Saturday. Indiana has a date with Michigan State in East Lansing.

Prediction: Ohio State 42, Indiana 7