Indiana HC Curt Cignetti doesn’t hold back on how he views Ryan Day and Ohio State ahead of the Big Ten Championship

Ohio State now has Indiana awaiting them for a conference title.

Brandon Little Ohio State Buckeyes & Cleveland Browns News Writer
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The Ohio State Buckeyes are finally back on the right side of their rivalry with the Michigan Wolverines. Finishing the regular season with a 27–9 win over Michigan was exactly what the Buckeyes needed after dropping four straight in the series.

At 12-0, everything the Buckeyes hope to accomplish still remains in front of them. Beating Michigan was a must to move closer to their goal of winning the Big Ten — something Ohio State hasn’t done in over half a decade. It’ll have its chance on Saturday against the Indiana Hoosiers.

Indiana HC Curt Cignetti thinks highly of the Buckeyes

“They’re a great football team, obviously won the national championship last season,” Cignetti said of the Buckeyes on Sunday. “Ryan Day is a great coach, going to be one of the legends of the game someday. Dominant everywhere… giving up the fewest amount of points in the country. [They’re] really good on third down, fourth down, a lot of different looks, put them in different positions to make plays. They really haven’t been challenged this year… other than the Texas game, I think 18 points is the closest point differential in all their games.”

Indiana enters the Big Ten Championship Game with a 12-0 record of its own and as the No. 2 team in the country. Cignetti’s ability to evaluate and land players from the transfer portal has been huge for Indiana. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza is a prime example and will be a real challenge for the Buckeyes on Saturday. Mendoza is a Heisman contender with 32 passing touchdowns, just five interceptions, and 2,758 passing yards.

Getting the win over Michigan was a major monkey off Ryan Day’s back. Now, the postseason begins with a tough matchup against the Hoosiers for a Big Ten title. Ohio State hasn’t faced a team of Indiana’s caliber yet this season, and the same can be said for Indiana regarding the Buckeyes. Saturday night should be a fun one in Indianapolis.