The last time Ohio State went to Bloomington, Ind., the game didn't end like it was supposed to for Urban Meyer's team.
Yes, the Buckeyes still defeated the Hoosiers, 52-49, in 2012, but needed an onside kick recovery late in the night to put them away for good.
Plenty's changed since then, with Ohio State winning the national championship last season and Indiana getting wrecked by injuries at quarterback to struggle to a 4-8 campaign in 2014.
So far in 2015, however, both teams are 4-0 and Ohio State heads back to Memorial Stadium Saturday for the first time in more than two seasons.
To get some insight on the other side of Saturday's game, we asked Sammy Jacobs, founder of the blog hoosierhuddle.com, five questions about how campus is treating the game, Indiana's offense and more.
If you want to see my answers to Sammy's questions on Ohio State from earlier in the week, you can by clicking here.
Eleven Warriors: The man getting the bulk of the attention this week in Columbus both from the Ohio State program and media is Indiana running back Jordan Howard. What exactly makes him tick? Tevin Coleman torched the Buckeyes last November at Ohio Stadium. How does Howard's game compare to Coleman?
Hoosier Huddle: Jordan Howard is fueled by contact. He loves laying the smackdown on defenders. He has knocked at least three opponents out of the game over the last three weeks. He doesn't have that next level speed that Tevin had, but this kid is just as good. The great thing about Howard is that he is almost always going forward and gaining yards.
Tevin Coleman was basically the Chris Davis (the power hitting first baseman of the Baltimore Orioles) of running backs last year. He either hit a home run or struck out. Don't get me wrong, Tevin is a terrific running back and had a year for the ages in 2014, but he was boom or bust. Jordan Howard is more of that doubles hitter, who bats .300. He isn't going to knock it out of the park but he will consistently rip off runs of four, five, and six yards with an occasional run of 20 or more yards. He wears down the defense and by the end of the game defenders don't really want to deal with him. Tevin didn't really do that. Howard's running style could give the Hoosiers the chance to control the clock and move the chains keeping the defense rested and on the sideline.
11W: Though he's talented and leads the nation in rushing, Howard isn't the only guy with skill on Indiana's offense. Quarterback Nate Sudfeld missed the bulk of the 2014 season with a shoulder injury and did not play against Ohio State in November. How has he looked so far? Does he look like the same guy that nearly led a remarkable comeback against the Buckeyes in Bloomington, Ind., in 2012?
HH: Nate Sudfeld is 100 percent healthy and really looks as good as ever. It seems as if the injury has given him a new sense of urgency heading into this season and he has taken a more active leadership role on and off the field.
Sudfield's 2015 line: 77-126, 1,143 yards, seven touchdowns, one interception.
Sudfield is the second leading passer in the conference behind Tommy Armstrong with 1,143 yards. In the past Sudfeld has been plagued by accuracy issues and may have been a bit too risky with his throws, but this season he is completing 61.1 percent of his passes and has thrown just one interception to his seven touchdowns. He seems much more in sync with his receivers than a year ago as well. Wide receivers Simmie Cobbs (244 yards, two touchdowns) and Ricky Jones (411 yards, three touchdowns) have become his favorite targets.
11W: Indiana gives up 32 points per game defensively. What's the largest issues on that side of the ball? Where are teams most effective against it?
HH: Well, one issue arose Tuesday night when star defensive tackle Darius Latham (team-leading five tackles for loss) was suspended. His loss was felt in the run game when he was suspended for the season opener against Southern Illinois. However, the Hoosiers do have several quality players along the line that can fill his shoes, including Adarius Rayner and Ralph Green. Nate Hoff could see more time off the bench as well.
The weak link in the Hoosier defense this season has been the young secondary, which started three true freshmen against Western Kentucky two weeks ago. They are susceptible to the big play and blown coverages, but they are also capable of making some big plays. True freshman safety Jonathan Crawford does lead the team with two interceptions and another true freshman Jameel Cook has a pick-six to his credit.
11W: How much is this game being talked up on campus? Indiana's been a bit annoying for Ohio State fans in recent years, but this is the first time the two teams have met on the gridiron with both teams unbeaten since 1954 when it was a season opener. Does it feel like the No. 1 team in the country is about to roll into town?
HH: There is certainly a buzz around campus for this one. IU fans started the #iufb4gameday campaign that really took social media by storm. It was great to see the student body and alumni get behind that. Apparently former IU player and coach and local radio personality Dan Dakich is hosting his own version of Game Day from 12:30-2 p.m. outside of the stadium that will feature some of the IU School of Media Students. The game will be sold out. I believe this is the first sell out since Michigan rolled in during the 2010 season.
11W: What's your prediction for the game? Will Indiana be able to defend home field, or at least cover a 21-point spread?
HH: I think IU stays with Ohio State for most of the game. This atmosphere hasn't been seen in Bloomington since the 2007 Bucket Game. However the Buckeyes will score late and win, 42-28.
