COLUMBUS, Ohio — The preliminaries are over for the third-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes after using the arm and legs of quarterback Braxton Miller to beat the Indiana Hoosiers 42-14 in snowy Ohio Stadium on Saturday.
Miller passed for two touchdowns and had two more on acrobatic runs and Carlos Hyde, like Miller, had two first-half rushing touchdowns as the Buckeyes (11-0, 7-0 Big Ten) took a 28-0 lead and set a school record with their 23rd straight win, a streak that began with Urban Meyer’s first game as coach in 2012.
“I know one thing — that this team is playing at a very, very high level,” Meyer said. “They’re focused each week, and that’s our job to maintain focus again this week.”
The previous mark was snapped in the final game of the 1969 season at Michigan under first-year Wolverines coach Bo Schembechler, who beat his mentor Woody Hayes, 24-12. The Buckeyes play Nov. 30 at Michigan in the rivalry dubbed The Game.
Then the Buckeyes, who won the Leaders Division for the second straight season by beating the Hoosiers, will play in the Big Ten championship game for the first time Dec. 7 in Indianapolis against Legends Division winner Michigan State. OSU was ineligible for the postseason in 2012 because of NCAA sanctions.
Ohio State remains in the hunt for a national title.
“There’s no chance of us overlooking a team from here on out,” Ohio State defensive tackle Michael Bennett said. “You’ve got that Team Up North (Michigan), the Big Ten championship and whatever comes after that.
“Every week from here on out is a bowl week.”
Continue Reading: Ohio State routs Indiana, to play for Big Ten title (The SportsXchange)
