Ohio State 2026 opponent breakdown: Week 7, Indiana

It's a revenge game, the biggest game of college football's 2026 regular season, and maybe the most important home game ever for Indiana

Receiver Charlie Becker (80) is one of the key players returning from Indiana’s national championship team. (Photo courtesy of Indiana athletics)

COLUMBUS — Last season’s Big Ten Championship Game matchup between Ohio State and Indiana was a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown. This season’s game in Bloomington on Oct. 17 could be a 1-2 banger as well.

Ohio State at Indiana might be the biggest game of college football’s 2026 regular season.

By virtually every metric, Ohio State will play a Top 5 schedule this season, and this visit to the Hoosiers is the middle game of what should be their three toughest challenges.

There’s at Texas on Sept. 12; at Indiana on Oct. 17; and home vs. Oregon on Nov. 7.

If the Buckeyes beat the Longhorns and Hoosiers, they’ll be the odds-on natty favorites. Lose both, and talk will begin about whether the Buckeyes are in danger of missing the playoff. Split those two, and it’s another typical year of Ohio State football where the Buckeyes great.

The seventh game of the season for Ohio State is when opinions will harden. Texas, Iowa and Indiana will be in the books, and USC, Oregon and Michigan will be ahead.

We’ll have a good idea of what the Buckeyes are, because Curt Cignetti and the defending national champion Hoosiers will tell us.

Jeremiah Smith had eight catches for 144 yards against Indiana last season. (Photo courtesy of Ohio State athletics)

Previous schedule breakdowns

Week 1: Ball State

Week 2: Texas

Week 3: Kent State

Week 4: Illinois

Week 5: Iowa

Week 6: Maryland

Indiana Hoosiers

Ohio State opponent No. 7

Oct. 17, time TBA, at Memorial Stadium