Game Notes
COLUMBUS, Ohio –No. 3 Ohio State (1-0, 1-0 Big Ten) earned a 23-3 win to open the 2023 season at Indiana (0-1, 0-1) Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.
The Buckeyes outgained the Hoosiers 380-153 behind the passing of first-year quarterback Kyle McCord, who completed 20-of-33 passes for 239 yards.
TreVeyone Henderson led the Ohio State ground game with 12 carries for 47 yards. DeaMonte Trayanum gained 57 yards on eight efforts while Miyan Williams scored twice on seven attempts for 25 yards.
Cade Stover and Julian Fleming had five and six receptions, respectively, with Stover leading the receiving corps with 98 yards, including a 49-yard catch in the third quarter.
The Ohio State defense allowed the Hoosiers less than 100-yards rushing (71) and passing (82) with Steele Chambers leading with six total tackles.
Ohio State, winners of the last 29 games in the series with the Hoosiers, begins the home season at Ohio Stadium next week when Youngstown State and the Buckeyes kickoff at noon. The Big Ten Network will have the broadcast.
First Quarter
No. 3 Ohio State 7, Indiana 0
Ohio State won the pregame coin toss and deferred to the second half. Indiana took the ball to start the game with the Buckeyes defending the north goal.
The Hoosiers were stopped on their opening possession and after an IU punt, the Buckeyes offense took over at their 20.
Behind first-year starter Kyle McCord at quarterback, Ohio State drove to the Indiana 34 and extended its drive on a fourth-and-2 after McCord found Gee Scott Jr., for a 10-yard gain.
Two plays later, Miyan Williams rushed 7 yards down the left side for the first score of the game and a 7-0 lead. The drive covered 80 yards on 11 plays while using 5:34 on the clock.
After a block in the back penalty, Indiana took over on its 8 on the ensuing kickoff. After a loss of 1 on the drive, Indiana punted it away.
Emeka Egbuka returned the kick 6 yards after a 60-yard boot to give the Buckeyes the ball on their 38.
Indiana's defense held the Buckeyes after a 2-yard drive forcing the first Ohio State punt of the season, a 31-yard Jesse Mirco effort to the Indiana 29.
Indiana punted for the third time after earning one first down on a drive to the IU34. Egbuka called for the fair catch giving the Buckeyes the ball at the OSU21 after a 45-yard punt.
The 134thedition of Ohio State football ended the opening quarter with a 7-0 lead.
Second Quarter
No. 3 Ohio State 10, Indiana 3
Ohio State started the quarter with the ball on its 30 after covering 13 yards on two plays to end the opening 15 minutes.
Faced with another fourth-and-2, this time from the IU29, the Buckeyes called timeout and elected to go for it once again. This time, the Hoosiers came up with an interception. Phillip Dunnam returned the pick to the IU33 before being pushed out of bounds.
The Hoosiers drove to the Ohio State 24 before calling timeout facing fourth-and-7 with 6:20 remaining in the half.
Indiana then capitalized on the Ohio State turnover by converting a 42-yard field goal attempt by Chris Freeman, whose effort nicked the top right goal post and continued through the uprights to make it 7-3 Buckeyes.
The scoring drive covered 43 yards on eight plays over 4:03.
Devin Brown entered the game at quarterback for the Buckeyes and drove the offense to the OSU32 before a Mirco punt of 55 yards was returned by the Hoosiers to the IU42.
After Indiana bled the clock down to under a minute to play in the half, Ohio State called timeout with the Hoosiers facing a fourth-and-4 situation at the OSU39. The Hoosiers attempted to keep their drive alive but the Ohio State defense held to regain possession.
McCord re-entered the game at quarterback for the Buckeyes. After an IU taunting penalty after an incomplete pass gave Ohio State the ball at the IU46, McCord found tight end Cade Stover for 24 yards to the IU22.
Indiana called timeout with 11 seconds left with the Buckeyes facing a third-and-10 on the Hoosiers 22.
After an incomplete pass, the Hoosiers called another timeout with six seconds left.
Jayden Fielding then kicked a 40-yard field goal for the Buckeyes with three seconds to play to give Ohio State a 10-3 lead at the half.
Third Quarter
No. 3 Ohio State 20, Indiana 3
After a touchback, Ohio State started the third with the ball on its 25 with McCord behind center. After a short drive to the OSU32, Mirco punted it away giving the Hoosiers the ball on its 34 after a 56-yard punt and 22-yard return.
The Hoosiers gave the ball right back after a 59-yard punt following a drive to the IU41. The Buckeyes took over at the IU20 after a touchback.
McCord then drove the Buckeyes to the IU4 where Fielding hit a 22-yard field goal to give the Buckeyes the 13-3 lead.
The big play of the drive was a 27-yard reception from McCord to Julian Flemming that helped the 76-yard, 11-playing scoring drive.
Ohio State's defense forced another IU punt after a short Hoosier drive to the IU28. The Buckeyes took possession following a 60-yard punt rolled out of bounds at the OSU12 with 5:15 left in the quarter.
DeaMonte Trayanum started the Ohio State drive with runs of 14 and 1 yards before McCord went deep to Stover for a 49-yard reception to the IU24.
Trayanum then rushed up the middle for a 12-yard gain to the IU12. Another Trayanum rush, this time for 9 yards, left the Buckeyes with a first down on the IU3.
Miyan Williams then finished off the 88-yard, six-play scoring drive with a 3-yard touchdown off the right side to give the Buckeyes a 20-3 lead with 1:51 left in the quarter.
Indiana took the kickoff to its 14 but was pushed back to the IU7 after an illegal block penalty.
The Hoosiers ended the third quarter with the ball at its 15 trailing the Buckeyes 20-3.
Fourth Quarter
The Hoosiers started the final quarter from its 21. The drive stalled at the OSU42 after the Hoosiers did not covert on a fourth-and-13 after running nearly five minutes off the clock.
The Buckeyes took over on downs and drove to the IU18 before calling timeout with 6:24 to play.
After losing 4 yards on a rush, McCord converted on fourth-and-9 to Williams for 12 yards and a first down at the IU5.
The Buckeyes gained another yard before Fielding added three points on a 22-yard field goal to end the scoring in the 23-3 win for the Buckeyes.
