Indiana Dominates Howard as Ohio State’s Texas Collapse Shakes the Big Ten
By Shannon Griffith
Indiana handled its business with a 55-0 shutout of Howard, but the result that sent the biggest shockwave through the Big Ten came several hours later in Austin. Ohio State carried a 23-3 lead—a 20-point advantage—into the fourth quarter against Texas and somehow left with a 24-23 loss.
That collapse has Buckeye Nation in a frenzy over Ryan Day again. It also changed the early national picture for a conference that watched Ohio State and Oregon both lose while Indiana, Penn State, USC, Michigan and Iowa strengthened their positions.
Indiana 55, Howard 0: The Hoosiers Take Care of Business
Indiana did exactly what a defending national champion should do against an overmatched opponent: start fast, dominate both lines of scrimmage and get the starters off the field.
The Hoosiers led 20-0 after one quarter and 41-0 at halftime. They outgained Howard 505-57, held a 296-13 advantage on the ground, produced five sacks and limited the Bison to four first downs and 2-of-14 on third down.
Three Turning Points
- Opening statement: Josh Hoover connected with Charlie Becker for a 34-yard touchdown on Indiana’s first possession.
- The knockout sequence: Becker’s third touchdown made it 27-0 with 6:07 remaining in the half. Just 88 seconds later, Rolijah Hardy returned an interception 19 yards for another score.
- Depth took over: Turbo Richard’s touchdown made it 41-0 at halftime. Grant Wilson then threw two third-quarter touchdowns, including a 51-yard strike to Nick Marsh.
Hoover completed 6 of 11 passes for 145 yards and four touchdowns. Becker caught three passes—all touchdowns—for 81 yards. Lee Beebe Jr. rushed for 112 yards, while Richard added 108 as Indiana averaged 6.4 yards per carry.
Coach Griff’s analysis: The most encouraging development was not the margin. It was the defense’s response after struggling to get off the field against North Texas. Indiana played with greater disruption, tackled better and controlled the line of scrimmage. The offensive correction remains Hoover’s down-to-down consistency. Four touchdown passes are impressive, but several missed throws and two sacks give the staff useful coaching material before the competition improves.
Review the official Indiana–Howard box score.
Ohio State’s Collapse Puts Ryan Day Back Under the Microscope
For three quarters, Ohio State looked like the No. 1 team in the country. The Buckeyes led Texas 23-3 entering the fourth quarter and had controlled the game with defense, field position and explosive plays to Jeremiah Smith.
Then everything changed. Texas scored touchdowns on three fourth-quarter drives. Ohio State’s offense became conservative and ineffective, Connor Hawkins missed a 45-yard field goal, and Arch Manning finally found a rhythm against softer coverage. Hollywood Smothers scored the go-ahead touchdown with 25 seconds remaining, and Julian Sayin’s final pass was intercepted.
The criticism surrounding Day is not simply because Ohio State lost a one-point road game to an elite opponent. It is about how the Buckeyes lost: a passive fourth-quarter approach, failure to close after controlling the first three periods and questionable late-game management when Texas reached the goal line.
Day accepted responsibility afterward and acknowledged that his team failed to finish. That will not quiet the reaction in Columbus. Ohio State has now lost three of its last four games, and the familiar questions about whether Day’s teams tighten up in the biggest moments have returned immediately.
The loss does not eliminate Ohio State from the Big Ten or College Football Playoff races. But it removes the Buckeyes’ margin for error and means every future close game—and every late-game decision—will be examined through the lens of what happened in Austin.
Read the AP recap of Texas’ historic comeback.
Every Big Ten Result
The conference went 11-6 overall but only 2-6 against Power Four opposition.
| Result | What Mattered |
|---|---|
| Texas 24, Ohio State 23 | Ohio State surrendered a 23-3 fourth-quarter lead, missed a late field goal and threw an interception on its final possession. |
| Oklahoma State 39, Oregon 31 | The weekend’s worst Big Ten upset. Oklahoma State entered without an FBS victory in 21 games. |
| Michigan 17, Oklahoma 10 | A fourth-quarter interception set up Jordan Marshall’s decisive touchdown in the conference’s best victory. |
| Iowa 16, Iowa State 13 | Iowa reclaimed the Cy-Hawk Trophy and moved to 2-0 behind defense and late-game execution. |
| Indiana 55, Howard 0 | The Hoosiers led 41-0 at halftime and allowed only 57 total yards. |
| Penn State 27, Temple 9 | Rocco Becht completed 21 of 27 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns. |
| USC 49, Louisiana 30 | Jayden Maiava threw five touchdown passes as USC improved to 3-0. |
| Nebraska 56, Bowling Green 7 | Anthony Colandrea threw four first-half touchdowns as Nebraska moved to 2-0. |
| Maryland 38, UConn 14 | Malik Washington passed for 347 yards in Maryland’s road victory. |
| Michigan State 35, Eastern Michigan 7 | Cam Edwards ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns. |
| UCLA 28, San Diego State 10 | UCLA overcame a scoreless first half with 28 points after the break. |
| Wisconsin 36, Western Illinois 9 | The Badgers recovered from their opening loss to Notre Dame. |
| Duke 31, Illinois 27 | Illinois led 24-14 but was outscored 17-3 in the second half. |
| Mississippi State 38, Minnesota 13 | Minnesota fell behind 28-6 at halftime and never recovered. |
| Wake Forest 38, Purdue 36, 2OT | Purdue’s comeback ended when its potential tying two-point conversion failed. |
| Boston College 28, Rutgers 21 | Rutgers dropped to 0-2 as pressure continued to build around the program. |
| Northwestern | Bye week. |
See the complete national scoreboard.
What It Means for the Big Ten Race
Conference play has not materially shaped the standings yet, but the national hierarchy changed dramatically. USC is 3-0. Indiana, Penn State, Iowa, Michigan, Washington, Nebraska, UCLA, Maryland and Michigan State are 2-0. Northwestern is 1-0.
Ohio State, Oregon, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Purdue each have one loss, while Rutgers is 0-2.
Ohio State and Oregon remain talented enough to reach Indianapolis, but neither possesses an early cushion in the playoff race. Indiana, Penn State and USC now carry the conference’s cleanest national profiles. Michigan’s win over Oklahoma also moves the Wolverines firmly back into the upper tier of the Big Ten conversation.
Notable Injury Situations
- Indiana RB Khobie Martin: Expected to remain out until approximately midseason with an arm injury. Beebe and Richard have established a productive two-back response.
- Indiana CBs A.J. Harris and Jamari Sharpe: Both missed the Howard game. Their injuries are not considered long-term, but their availability against Western Kentucky bears watching.
- Rutgers QB Dylan Lonergan: Missed the Boston College game with an undisclosed injury, forcing AJ Surace into the starting lineup.
Three Storylines for the Coming Week
- Indiana’s final tune-up must resemble preparation, not merely another mismatch. Western Kentucky visits Bloomington next Saturday. The priorities are refining Hoover’s decisions, maintaining the defense’s improved disruption and determining whether Harris or Sharpe can return.
- The Big Ten no longer has an unquestioned No. 1 team. Ohio State’s fourth-quarter collapse and Oregon’s upset loss elevate Indiana, Penn State, USC and Michigan in the conference discussion.
- Conference play begins with immediate pressure games. USC visits Rutgers, Purdue travels to UCLA, and Michigan State faces Notre Dame in another important Big Ten measuring-stick game.
Coach Griff’s Final Word
Indiana cannot control the chaos around the Big Ten. What the Hoosiers can control is continuing to improve while other contenders reveal their weaknesses. Ohio State showed it could dominate an elite opponent for three quarters—but also showed that finishing remains a problem. Oregon showed that talent cannot overcome a poor Saturday. Indiana showed that it could correct its defensive issues and overwhelm an opponent from the opening kick.
The league’s championship race did not officially begin this weekend, but its balance of power may already be changing.
Sources: Indiana University Athletics, Associated Press, ESPN, Reuters and verified team availability reporting.
