All eyes are on the Big Ten this week as we have a top-5 matchup between the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes and No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington. 

Ohio State comes in with a 5-1 record with the loss to Texas standing out, and they have the best win between the two with Iowa. Indiana on the other hand is 6-0 with its last win, 20-17 over Nebraska, being their closest one to date. 

Ahead of the big Week 7 game, the A to Z Sports college football staff has some predictions on how this one goes. 

Ohio State 24, Indiana 20

Ohio State players have been open that this game means a bit more to them because of last year’s Big Ten Championship loss. If the Buckeyes want to win the Big Ten this season, they’re likely going to need to win this game against the Hoosiers. With the Buckeyes already having a loss on their resume, beating Indiana is a must, or else they’d probably need to win out to be in the College Football Playoff. 

I don’t think this Indiana team is as talented across the board as last year. Of course they’re still well coached, and they have two big-time playmakers between Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh. Going from Fernando Mendoza to Josh Hoover is a sizable downgrade, and Ohio State should fare better against Hoover. I think the Buckeyes shut down the run against an Indiana team that hasn’t been toting the rock well. On the flip side, Jeremiah Smith is going to do a lot of damage to Indiana’s zone defense. Scoring could be minimal early, but the Buckeyes do enough in the second half to get a big road win. Ohio State has some legit health concerns with Austin Siereveld and Ja’Kobi Jackson out, and they’ll have to be able to overcome it to win. — Brandon Little, A to Z Sports Ohio State

Ohio State 28, Indiana 20

I’m taking Ohio State to defeat Indiana 28-20 in a game that should be competitive for much of the afternoon. The Hoosiers are still a good football team, but they haven’t looked quite as dominant as they did during their incredible 2025 campaign. Quarterback Josh Hoover should make a few impressive throws early and give Indiana a chance to keep pace with the Buckeyes. However, I expect Ohio State’s defense to create problems as the game progresses, forcing Hoover into a costly mistake at the worst possible time. Against a team as talented as the Buckeyes, Indiana can’t afford to give away possessions and expect to come out on top.

On the other side, Jeremiah Smith will continue making his case as one of the best players in college football and a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender. His ability to win one-on-one matchups and turn routine plays into explosive gains gives Ohio State a major advantage in a game that could come down to a handful of key moments. The Buckeyes should be able to capitalize on Indiana’s mistake while doing enough defensively to limit the Hoosiers’ scoring opportunities late. Indiana will hang around and make Ohio State work for the victory, but Smith and the Buckeyes’ playmakers will prove to be too much in the end. — Ryan Roberts, A to Z Sports Notre Dame

Indiana 27, Ohio State 24

I haven’t been more excited for a college football game in some time. This matchup is a fascinating one for multiple reasons. This is the first matchup for these two teams in Bloomington since Curt Cignetti took the job. The other being that this matchup likely decides the Big Ten. 

I think the Buckeyes have the advantage in a couple of key areas, especially with having a cheat code in Jeremiah Smith. However, we got to see the Hoosiers grind out and find a way to win against a sneaky good Nebraska team. The only close game that the Buckeyes have played was against the Texas Longhorns, to which they surrendered a double-digit second-half lead. I think that could manifest itself again on Saturday, and the Hoosiers find a way to get the win. — Tyler Forness, A to Z Sports Florida 

Ohio State 27, Indiana 20

The biggest game in Bloomington maybe ever, this will pit the cream of the Big Ten and two of the few true title contenders together. Ohio State has found its groove after a dismal fourth quarter against the Longhorns in Austin in Week 2. Indiana has looked somewhat mortal against solid competition this year, but it’s still hard to win, and the Hoosiers have found a way. 

Nick Marsh and Charlie Becker give you two future NFL targets that can make the IU offense hard to plan for. Josh Hoover has also been excellent this year, completing 68.4% of his throws for 1364 yards with 17 touchdowns and protecting the football at an elite level with no interceptions. 

But it was a bit tougher sledding in the passing game against Northwestern and Nebraska for IU for four quarters, and now a more talented Buckeye defense is stepping onto the field. Add in the Jeremiah Smith factor, and the Buckeyes find a way late in the fourth quarter to continue their resurgence and get a little bit of payback from 2025. — Craig Smith, A to Z Sports Miami 

Ohio State 30, Indiana 27

Last week featured a matchup between the best two teams in the SEC, and this week, it will be the same in the Big-10. Only, I worry that one team may be much better than the other. The Buckeyes have been battle-tested and tasted the sourness of defeat already this year after dropping one to Texas. I don’t see a world where they drop another this fast. Maybe if this were the Indiana team from last year, but they lack the juice and explosion on both sides of the ball, and have been tested by the likes of Northwestern and Nebraska, which pale in comparison to Ohio State.

I still believe that Indiana is a good team and a certified CFP contender, but the Buckeyes are better at critical positions, and I expect them to go into Bloomington and get the job done. — Rob Gregson, A to Z Sports Alabama