Indiana football’s historic run leads to Big Ten title shot against Ohio State

SOUTH BEND, Ind.-- For the first time in program history, the Hoosiers are playing in the Big Ten Championship Game. On Saturday, they will face No. 1 Ohio State with a chance to prove their historic run is no fluke.

Indiana is ranked No. 2 in the country. Not long ago, that would have sounded impossible. Before this season, the Hoosiers held the most losses in college football history and had never reached a conference championship or national title game.

Now, they are one win away from a Big Ten crown. Much of the turnaround is due to head coach Curt Cignetti, who is in just his second season in Bloomington. Indiana is now enjoying its second straight double-digit win season — something the program had never done before.

On3 IU beat reporter Alec Lasley says last year’s ending helped fuel this team.

“Everyone felt that weight from how last season ended,” Lasley said. “A lot of those same guys came back with a chip on their shoulder. The biggest change was their mindset. They no longer saw themselves as underdogs.”

Along the way, Indiana picked up big wins, climbed the rankings and turned Memorial Stadium into one of the toughest places to play in the country.

Now comes the biggest challenge yet — Ohio State. Lasley says Indiana’s defense will need to make plays up front since buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin has been sacked just six times all season. Getting pressure will be key, adding that Indiana’s safeties must create turnovers and change the game with one or two big moments. Despite the challenge ahead, Lasley believes Indiana can win it all.

“This team is battle tested,” he said. “They won at Iowa and then went into Oregon and won there — a place where nobody wins. Ohio State has not been tested the same way. This is no longer just a good story. Indiana is a true national contender, and they have what it takes to make a deep run.”

Saturday is Indiana’s chance to prove it belongs among college football’s best and to show the Hoosiers are now a true football school.