Indiana Upsets Ohio State to Win Big Ten Championship

Indiana pulled off a historic 13-10 victory over Ohio State to win their first Big Ten title since 1967

sarah

Dec 7, 2025 - 17:59

Indiana Upsets Ohio State to Win Big Ten Championship

The No. 2 Hoosiers (13-0) clinched the top overall seed in this year's College Football Playoff and a first-round bye in the Rose Bowl with a 13-10 win over Ohio State.

It was another history-making moment for the IU team that has transformed the entire landscape of college football under coach Curt Cignetti. It was the Hoosiers' first win over Ohio State in more than three decades and their first Big Ten title since 1967.

Indiana had more yards (166) in the first half than they had in last year's game against OSU (151) and put pressure on OSU's offensive line. Fernando Mendoza threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Surratt midway through the third quarter to give the Hoosiers a 13-10 lead.

Ohio State responded with a long drive to Indiana's 9-yard line before the Hoosiers' defense held strong and forced a short field goal. Buckeyes kicker Jaden Fielding's attempt to equalize was wide left, giving IU the ball with 2:48 remaining.

After two IU runs and an Ohio State timeout, Mendoza found receiver Charlie Baker for a 33-yard completion and a first down. Baker's third catch gave him 126 yards in the game.

The first down forced the game to a two-minute timeout, with the Buckeyes having one timeout left. From there, the Hoosiers managed to run out the clock with runs before punting the ball to the Buckeyes with 18 seconds remaining.

Stranded at its own 14-yard line, Ohio State was unable to reach field goal range to attempt an equalizer.

Indiana football's leading receiver injured in the Big Ten title game

Indiana football put on a rare explosive performance against Ohio State

Indiana football scored a crucial touchdown in the third quarter with a 51-yard completion from Mendoza to Baker down the middle of the field. It was only the third play of 50-plus yards allowed by Ohio State's defense all season. After IU's leading receiver Omar Cooper Jr. was injured on the game's opening drive, Baker performed brilliantly, just as he had when Surratt was out for almost the entire month of November.

Three players later, Mendoza threw a pass to Surratt in the corner of the end zone, giving Indiana a 13-10 lead, after the Hoosiers had settled for field goals inside the red zone all three times in the first half.

Indiana's linebackers were the center of attention during the Big Ten title game.

Indiana led Ohio State at halftime with more sacks (three), a number Ohio State hadn't allowed in a single game all season.

Due to OSU's reliance on multiple tight end sets, IU had three linebackers on the field for most of the game, and they spent much of that time harassing Ohio State quarterback Julian Seine.

Hardy made a sack that forced the Buckeyes to punt at midfield, and Jones sacked Seine on third down in the red zone. It was an impressive display of Jones' athletic ability, with the quarterback moving out of his pocket toward the opposite sideline.

They were a big reason why the nation's top third-down offense—Ohio State had converted 56.9% of its third-down attempts during the regular season—was 0 of 4 in those situations at halftime.

Indiana's defense made a crucial stop late in the third quarter, holding Sein for no gain and forcing a turnover on downs at their own 4-yard line. The Buckeyes mounted a 12-play, 70-yard drive but came up empty-handed.

IU Football's Fernando Mendoza Suffers Setback in Big Ten Title Game

Indiana Football Plays Musical Chairs on Offensive Line

One of IU's biggest questions before the game was the state of its offensive line. The Hoosiers' starting left guard, Drew Evans, returned to the lineup and, despite a heavily taped right ankle, maintained his performance against Ohio State's talented front.

The same could not be said about the right side of the line.

Starting right guard Bre Lynch was replaced in the lineup by Adedemola Ajani after committing a holding penalty near the end of the first half. Starting right tackle Zane Michalski was ejected from the game for Khalil Benson on the same drive after giving up a sack.

Benson, who started 10 games at the position this season, has been slowed the past few weeks by a lower-body injury he suffered during a win against Maryland on Nov. 1. The backup players stayed in the game for the entire second half and didn't allow a sack.