1. Indiana University is located in Bloomington, about an hour southwest of Indianapolis. IU is the state's flagship public university. The school's motto is Lux et Veritas, which translates to: "Light and Truth".
2. Indiana's colors are crimson and cream and the mascot is the Hoosier. No one knows exactly what a Hoosier is, other than a term for a resident of Indiana. Some say that Hoosier comes from an old Indian word, hoosa, which apparently meant "maize". Whatever the origin of the obscure word, Hoosier now apparently means: "friendliness, neighborliness, an idyllic contentment with Indiana landscape and life." At least that's according to the Indiana Historical Society, which is probably not the most objective source for such information.
3. Indiana has played football for 132 years. The Hoosiers have been good at football for maybe a dozen of those 132 years. Indiana's overall record is 497-684-44, for a .424 winning percentage. Among Power5 teams, only Wake Forest (.414) has a worse winning percentage.
4. Indiana is not a charter member of the Big Ten, but they have been in the conference since 1900. In conference play, the Hoosiers have a record of 223-511-26 (.311 winning percentage), and have been outscored 18,333 to 11,885 (24.1 to 15.6 on a per game basis). In 120 years of participating in Big Ten football, the Hoosiers have just two conference championships (1945; 1967).
5. Indiana does not have a recognized national championship, or any unrecognized national championships for that matter. The closest that Indiana has come to a national championship was the 1945 season when the team compiled a fine record of 9-0-1 (the Hoosiers' only undefeated season in their history). Indiana's only blemish was a 7-7 tie with Northwestern in the second week of the season. The Hoosiers outscored their opponents by a total of 276 to 56 and they finished 4th in the final AP poll.
6. Indiana has finished ranked in the final polls only six times in their history, with their highest ranking being 4th (AP in 1945; AP in 1967). The last time that the Hoosiers finished a season ranked was 1988, when they were 19th in the AP poll and 20th in the coaches poll.
7. Indiana has been to twelve bowl games, with a record of 3-9 in those contests. Indiana's only major bowl appearance was the 1968 Rose Bowl, where they lost to national champion Southern Cal by the score of 14-3. Indiana's most recent bowl appearance was in last year's Gator Bowl, a come-from-ahead 23-22 loss to Tennessee.
8. Indiana's greatest player of all time was undoubtedly running back Anthony Thompson, who was a two-time All American (consensus in 1988; unanimous in 1989) and the Hoosiers' only major award winner (Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, both in 1989; also Big Ten Player of the Year in both 1988 and 1989). For his Indiana career, Thompson rushed 1,161 times for 5,299 yards (4.56 average) and 67 touchdowns; and caught 102 passes for 755 yards (7.40 average) and one touchdown.
9. Just two years after Thompson graduated, the Hoosiers produced their second unanimous All American, running back Vaughn Dunbar. In 1991, Dunbar had 364 carries for 1,805 yards (4.96 average) and 12 touchdowns.
10. Indiana's third (and to date last) unanimous All American was yet another running back, Tevin Coleman. In 2014, Coleman rushed 270 times for 2,036 yards (7.54 average) and 15 touchdowns, including a career-long 90-yard touchdown run against Ohio State. Coleman's 90-yard burst was the fourth-longest play from scrimmage ever allowed by Ohio State (tied with two others).
11. Indiana has produced just three other consensus All Americans: Bill Hillenbrand (back, 1942); John Tavener (lineman, 1944); and Rob Ravensberg (end, 1945).
12. A Hoosier great who did not earn All American recognition was quarterback Antwaan Randle El. For his Hoosier career, Randle El had 11,364 total yards (7,469 passing; 3,895 rushing) and 87 total touchdowns (42 passing; 44 rushing; 1 receiving). Randle El was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 1998 and the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in 2001. The following spring he was selected in the second round of the NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he became an All Pro and Super Bowl champion. For his NFL career, Randle El had 9,221 all-purpose yards and 27 total touchdowns.
13. In 1949, Indiana's George Taliaferro became the first black player drafted by the NFL (Chicago Bears, 13th round, 129th selection). At IU, Taliaferro played quarterback, halfback, defensive back, and punter. In 1948, Taliaferro led the Hoosiers in both rushing and passing, and he was named a first team All American. In 1981, Taliaferro was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
14. Pete Pihos played end and fullback for the Hoosiers during the 1940s. Pihos was named a first-team All American in both 1943 and 1945, and during his time in Bloomington he set several team records in receptions, touchdowns, and scoring. Pihos subsequently played nine seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles, where he won two NFL championships and earned All Pro honors six times. Pihos is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
15. Ohio State has a record of 76-12-5 against Indiana, for an .844 winning percentage. Ohio State has outscored Indiana 2,503 to 1,040, for an average score per game of 27 to 11.
16. Despite their great success against the Hoosiers, the Buckeyes failed to gain a win in the first six games of the series, going 0-5-1. The Buckeyes got their first win in 1914, and since that time have a record against the Hoosiers of 76-7-4 (.897 winning percentage).
17. Woody Hayes lost his first contest against Indiana in 1951. Since that loss, the Buckeyes own a record of 55-2-2 in the series, for a .949 winning percentage.
18. Indiana last beat Ohio State in 1988. Led by the great running back Anthony Thompson, who had 32 carries for 190 yards and 4 touchdowns, the Hoosiers trounced the Buckeyes by the score of 41-7. That victory gave the Hoosiers a brief two-game winning streak in the series, as they had also beaten the Buckeyes in 1987 by the score of 31-10. The only other winning streak by the Hoosiers in the series was four games from 1903 to 1913.
19. Four of Indiana's twelve wins in the series (33.3%) have been by shutout: 1904 (8-0); 1905 (11-0); 1937 (10-0); and 1947 (7-0). In addition, Indiana held Ohio State scoreless in 1929 and 1959 (both 0-0 ties).
20. Indiana last tied Ohio State in 1990, by a score of 27-27. Since that tie, Ohio State has beaten Indiana 25 times in a row (including the vacated game in 2010), the longest current winning streak in a series between two FBS teams.
21. In the 2011 contest, Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller had an 81-yard touchdown run, tied for seventh-longest in Buckeye history. The Buckeyes had a great day running the ball as Daniel Herron (141 yards), Carlos Hyde (105 yards), and Miller (105 yards) each eclipsed the 100-yard mark. The passing game wasn't so hot, as a young Braxton Miller completed just 5 of 11 passes for 55 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. Ohio State prevailed, 34-20.
22. Urban Meyer's first game against Indiana in 2012 was a wild affair. Each team had several big plays (see below), and a 46-yard touchdown pass from Braxton Miller to Devin Smith gave Ohio State a nearly insurmountable 18-point lead (52-34) with just 6:47 left on the clock. Then the Hoosiers really got down to business. They went on a 10-play, 74-yard touchdown drive (converting two third downs and one fourth down) to cut the lead to 52-41 with 1:40 remaining. Indiana recovered the ensuing onside kick and went 48 yards in five plays, using up only 35 seconds in the process. The Hoosiers successfully executed the 2-point conversion to cut the Buckeye lead to 52-49. Ohio State finally secured victory when Philly Brown recovered the onside kick.
23. The 2013 contest was a typical blowout win for Ohio State (42-14), but the Hoosiers gave the Buckeyes a real scare in 2014. Ohio State entered the game ranked #6 in the country with a record of 10-1, while Indiana (3-8 record) was slogging through yet another losing season. After running out to a quick 14-0 lead, the Buckeyes went into cruise control and by midway through the 3rd quarter found themselves down 20-14 after Indiana's Tevin Coleman busted off a 90-yard touchdown run. Ohio State answered the wake-up call with four straight touchdowns from Jalin Marshall, including a 54-yard reception and a 54-yard punt return, to take a 42-20 lead. Coleman added a 52-yard touchdown run in garbage time to finish with 228 yards rushing and 3 TDs.
24. The 2015 contest was another close call that literally came down to the last play of the game. Despite 274 yards rushing and three long touchdowns (55, 65, and 75 yards) from Ezekiel Elliott, the Buckeyes could not pull away from the Hoosiers. Backup quarterback Zander Diamont sparked the Hoosiers down the stretch with a 79-yard touchdown run to cut Ohio State's lead to 34-27 with ten minutes left on the clock. Indiana got the ball back with just under four minutes left in the game with a chance to tie or take the lead with a successful 2-point conversion. Diamont led the Hoosiers all the way down to the Buckeye 9-yard line before a desperate 4th-down pass fell incomplete as time expired.
25. Beginning with the 2016 matchup the series reverted to normalcy, with Ohio State winning all four games by an average score of 47 to 19.
26. For the past nine seasons, the series has seen an incredible number of big plays by both sides:
| Year | Player | Team | Play | Yards | --TD-- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Braxton Miller | Ohio State | Run | 81 | yes |
| 2011 | Daniel Herron | Ohio State | Run | 48 | no |
| 2011 | Carlos Hyde | Ohio State | Run | 47 | no |
| 2011 | Daniel Herron | Ohio State | Run | 40 | no |
| 2011 | Kofi Hughes | Indiana | Reception | 43 | no |
| 2012 | Braxton Miller | Ohio State | Run | 67 | yes |
| 2012 | Devin Smith | Ohio State | Reception | 60 | yes |
| 2012 | Devin Smith | Ohio State | Reception | 46 | yes |
| 2012 | Shane Wynn | Indiana | Reception | 76 | yes |
| 2012 | Tevin Coleman | Indiana | Kick return | 60 | no |
| 2012 | Stephen Houston | Indiana | Run | 59 | yes |
| 2013 | Braxton Miller | Ohio State | Run | 41 | no |
| 2014 | Ezekiel Elliott | Ohio State | Run | 65 | yes |
| 2014 | Jalin Marshall | Ohio State | Reception | 54 | yes |
| 2014 | Jalin Marshall | Ohio State | Punt return | 54 | yes |
| 2014 | Tevin Coleman | Indiana | Run | 90 | yes |
| 2014 | Zander Diamont | Indiana | Run | 53 | no |
| 2014 | Tevin Coleman | Indiana | Run | 52 | yes |
| 2014 | Shane Wynn | Indiana | Reception | 49 | no |
| 2015 | Ezekiel Elliott | Ohio State | Run | 75 | yes |
| 2015 | Ezekiel Elliott | Ohio State | Run | 65 | yes |
| 2015 | Ezekiel Elliott | Ohio State | Run | 55 | yes |
| 2015 | Zander Diamont | Indiana | Run | 79 | yes |
| 2016 | Parris Campbell | Ohio State | Kick-off return | 91 | no |
| 2016 | Malik Hooker | Ohio State | Interception | 47 | no |
| 2016 | Nick Westbrook | Indiana | Reception | 50 | no |
| 2017 | Parris Campbell | Ohio State | Reception | 74 | yes |
| 2017 | Johnnie Dixon | Ohio State | Reception | 59 | yes |
| 2018 | Parris Campbell | Ohio State | reception | 71 | yes |
| 2018 | Stevie Scott | Indiana | run | 45 | no |
| 2019 | Damon Arnette | Ohio State | interception | 96 | yes |
| 2019 | JK Dobbins | Ohio State | run | 56 | no |
| 2019 | Master Teague | Ohio State | run | 40 | yes |
| 2019 | Peyton Hendershot | Indiana | reception | 49 | yes |
28. Indiana enters the 2020 contest ranked #9 in the nation (their highest ranking since November of 1967, when they were #4), with a record of 4-0 and wins over Big Ten heavies Penn State and Michigan and a 24-0 shutout of Michigan State. The Hoosiers are averaging 33.8 points per game and surrendering 19.3 points per game.
29. On the other side of the field, Ohio State has a record of 3-0, is ranked #3 in the nation, and is vying for its fourth straight Big Ten title and second straight playoff appearance. The Buckeyes are averaging 46.3 points per game and allowing 23.0 points per game.
30. The Hoosiers' rushing attack is averaging just 95 yards per game and 2.7 yards per play. The Hoosiers' are somewhat better through the air, as quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is completing nearly 61% of his passes for 267.5 yards per game. Penix's primary targets are wide receivers Ty Fryfogle (24 receptions, 424 yards, 4 touchdowns) and Whop Philyor (24 receptions, 287 yards, touchdown), while tight end Peyton Hendershot (14 receptions, 89 yards, 3 touchdowns) is a big target in the red zone.
31. Indiana's defense has relied on big plays so far this season, racking up 12 sacks and forcing 12 turnovers (10 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries).
32. The game is set for Saturday, November 21, at noon on FOX. The Buckeyes are currently favored by 20.5 points, with an over/under of 67.0 points.
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