The Morning Call

Hoosiers’ hope: End skid vs. Buckeyes

- By Matt Murschel

No. 9 Indiana (4-0, 4-0 Big Ten) at No. 3 Ohio State (3-0, 3-0)

Noon Saturday

FOX

Indiana travels to Ohio State this weekend looking to snap a 25-game losing streak to the Buckeyes, with the last Hoosiers’ win coming on Oct. 8, 1988. To say Ohio State has dominated this series is an understate­ment, with the Buckeyes winning 48 of the last 50 meetings. Indiana has been opportunis­tic this season, leading the Big Ten in takeaways (12), including 10 intercepti­ons. Ohio State quarterbac­k Justin Fields had thrown just three intercepti­ons in 437 career pass attempts. Ohio State coach Ryan Day insisted Indiana’s hot start this year wasn’t entirely unpredicta­ble, noting the Hoosiers were improving under coach Tom Allen and have gotten a jolt from the dynamic play of QB Michael Penix Jr., a redshirt sophomore who was on the bench for unspecifie­d reasons in Ohio State’s 51-10 win last season in Bloomingto­n. “It’s 2020,” Day said. “Anything can happen, so you just don’t know. So I’m not surprised about this at all.”

No. 10 Wisconsin (2-0, 2-0 Big Ten) at No. 19 Northweste­rn (4-0, 4-0) 3:30 p.m. Saturday

ABC

The winner of this one is in the driver’s seat in the Big Ten West race. Wisconsin has won three of the last four games in the series, but Northweste­rn has won the last two meetings when both teams were ranked. Wisconsin and Northweste­rn sit No. 1 and No. 2 in the conference in total defense, suggesting it could be a low scoring game. The Wildcats have forced at least one takeaway during eight consecutiv­e games dating back to last season.

No. 7 Cincinnati (7-0, 5-0 AAC) at UCF (5-2, 4-2) 3:30 p.m. Saturday ESPN

Cincinnati has won 29 of its last 34 games and sits atop the American Athletic Conference standings. The Bearcats have the top defense in the league, allowing 12 points and 300 yards per game this season. UCF features the top offense in the country, with the Knights averaging 619 yards and 44 points per game. UCF quarterbac­k Dillon Gabriel leads the nation with 396 passing yards per game while throwing 23 touchdowns, but he faces a Cincinnati secondary that has allowed just two passing touchdowns this season.

No. 14 Oklahoma St. (5-1, 4-1 Big 12) at No. 18 Oklahoma (5-2, 4-2) 7:30 p.m. Saturday ABC

Oklahoma has won five consecutiv­e games and 15 of the last 17 meetings in the Bedlam Series. The Sooners have won five straight Big 12 titles and to win a sixth crown, they’ll need to continue their four-game Big 12 win streak. Oklahoma State, meanwhile, is still squarely in the mix in the conference championsh­ip race thanks to a defense that is allowing 17 points per game this season.

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