INDIANAPOLIS — Never before in the 15-year history of the Big Ten Championship Game has there been more at stake than when No. 1 Ohio State plays No. 2 Indiana on Saturday.
This is the first time since its inception in 2011 that both teams enter the championship game undefeated with 12-0 overall marks and 9-0 conference records.
The closest comparison would be last season when top-ranked Oregon puts its perfect record against No. 3 and once-beaten Penn State. The Ducks won 45-37.
While the winner on Saturday will get the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff, Ohio State coach Ryan Day feels the loser should still be ranked among the top four.
“I think both deserve a first-round bye,” he said. “(But) I think it’s important to win this game and be the No. 1 seed. Everything matters.”
Counterpart Curt Cignetti is not so sure. He doesn’t feel the loser is guaranteed a top-four spot.
“I don’t expect any handouts,” he said. “We’ve earned everything up until this point and we’ve got to earn it on Saturday.”
That’s all from the team standpoint. On the personal level, the winner of the Heisman Trophy may be decided between quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza of Indiana and the Buckeyes’ Julian Sayin.
Mendoza has passed for 2,758 yards with 32 touchdowns and five interceptions. He will go against the best scoring defense (7.8 points per game) and total defense (203.0 yards) in the nation under first-year defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and led by All-American safety Caleb Downs.
“My job is to stick to the process against a fantastically-led defense by Coach Patricia and Caleb Downs,” Mendoza said. “We just need to stick to the process and stick to what’s gotten us to this point.”
Downs sees a leader in Mendoza, who has guided the Hoosiers to the second-best scoring offense (44.3) and No. 5 total offense (483.8).
“He can see the field well, which puts them in the right position,” Downs said. “Their running backs are running hard and their receivers are making plays.”
Sayin showed his mettle against Michigan last Saturday in the California native’s first game played in snow. After an incompletion and interception on his first two throws, he completed 19 of his final 24 for 233 yards and three touchdowns in the 27-9 victory.
It helped that receivers Carnell Tate (five catches, 82 yards, touchdown) and Jeremiah Smith (3-30-1) returned from injuries just in time and will be available again Saturday.
Sayin has passed for 3,065 yards and 30 touchdowns against five interceptions while having the top completion percentage nationally (78.9%).
“I really respect Julian. He is so effective and he fits the offense perfectly,” Mendoza said. “Every QB prides himself on completion percentage and his completion percentage is out of this world.”
Ohio State has not won a Big Ten title since the COVID season of 2020. Indiana’s last championship came in 1967.
Day credits Cignetti in his second season at Indiana for the program’s rise to prominence.
“Look at what he’s done,” Day said. “I’ve got a lot of respect for what he’s put on the field. I mean, this is a really good team and it’s going to be a great atmosphere.
“I know our guys are looking forward to going to Indy. It’s been a long time. So, we’re going there to win the game against a great opponent.”
–By Craig Merz, Field Level Media
