Indiana Hoosiers vs Ohio State Buckeyes Match Player Stats On Oct 08, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Oct 8, 2016

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Freshman running back Mike Weber rushed for two touchdowns and quarterback J.T. Barrett ran for one and threw for a score to carry No. 2 Ohio State to a 38-17 victory over Indiana on Saturday in Ohio Stadium.

Barrett did most of his work with his feet instead of his arm against the Hoosiers (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten), rushing for a game-high 137 yards on 26 carries as the Indiana pass defense gave the Buckeyes (5-0, 2-0) more trouble than expected.

The Heisman Trophy candidate, who came into the game with 14 touchdown passes and averaging 222 passing yards per game this season, connected with Dontre Wilson on a 37-yard strike with 3:51 left in the game for his only scoring pass.

Barrett finished just 9 of 21 for 93 yards through the air with the one touchdown and one interception against an Indiana pass defense ranked 11th in the Big Ten entering the game. The Ohio State offense, averaging 579 yards per game, managed 383 total yards against the Hoosiers.

Ohio State's defense sealed the outcome when Malik Hooker intercepted a pass by Indiana quarterback Richard Lagow with 2:57 left.

The Buckeyes limited the Hoosiers to 281 total yards and forced two turnovers.

Trailing 24-10 at halftime, Indiana marched down the field on its first drive in the third quarter and pulled to 24-17 on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Lagow to wide-open Danny Friend in the end zone.

Ohio State responded with a 13-play, 85-yard drive that Weber completed with a 1-yard drive into the end zone that restored the Buckeyes' 14-point lead.

Lagow connected on 14 of 28 passes for 182 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Devine Redding rushed for 78 yards on 22 carries.

Ohio State's defense flipped the early 3-3 stalemate in the Buckeyes' favor when Tyquan Lewis forced a fumble by Lagow that was recovered by Ohio State's Jalyn Holmes at the Indiana 9-yard line. On the second play after the turnover, Weber ran untouched into the end zone to make it 10-3.

The Buckeyes added a touchdown with 3:32 left in the second quarter when Curtis Samuel capped a five-play, 73-yard drive with a 5-yard run for a 17-3 lead. Samuel was Ohio State's second leading rusher with 82 yards on nine carries.

Indiana answered quickly with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Lagow to a wide-open Mitchell Paige in the middle of the field to trim to close within 17-10 with 1:03 left before the half ended. But Ohio State stole the momentum right back with a 91-yard kickoff return by Parris Campbell to the Indiana 6 and Barrett scored two plays later on a keeper from the 5 to expand the Buckeyes' lead to 24-10 at halftime.

Ohio State started the game with a turnover. Barrett's pitch hit Weber in the face mask on the third play and Indiana's Patrick Dougherty recovered at the Buckeyes' 35-yard line, but the Hoosiers were stopped inside the 5 and settled for a 22-yard field goal by Griffin Oakes.

The Buckeyes knotted the score at 3-3 on a 37-yard field goal by Tyler Durbin with 6:31 to go in the first quarter.

NOTES: Ohio State LB Dante Booker (knee) missed his fourth straight game after sustaining an MCL sprain in the season opener. ... Indiana played without All-American G Dan Feeney (concussion) and RT Dimitric Camiel (back). Feeney was sidelined for the third straight week. ... Ohio State led the Big Ten or was ranked second in nearly every team offensive and defensive category last week. ... Indiana has never beaten a team ranked No. 1 or 2 in the country. ... Indiana's last win over Ohio State came in 1988 and its last victory in Columbus was in 1987.