BLOOMINGTON — Heartbreak for Indiana football came in the form of the wrong foot landing as Nick Marsh caught a would-be go-ahead touchdown pass.
Instead it was a 19-15 win for Ohio State, the Buckeyes (6-1, 4-0 Big Ten) taking control of the race to Indianapolis for likely the final Big Ten championship game. The rematch of December’s thriller featured much of the same elements: physical defenses, banged-up quarterbacks and a Heisman frontrunner.
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This time it was OSU receiver Jeremiah Smith, whose 38-yard touchdown catch ended up being the decisive score. Smith was largely bottled up, catching four of eight targets for 68 yards and the score. IU’s defense blanketed Smith with a safety over the cornerback, sometimes passed him off and largely limited his effectiveness.
IU’s pass rush was a difference-maker, even knocking quarterback Julian Sayin out of the game and for several weeks, coach Ryan Day said postgame. That helped limit Ohio State’s offense, which IU even outgained 369-313.
But history suggests the Hoosiers will fall in the rankings. Especially considering the national sentiment of IU and its weak schedule, which continues to persist even after winning the national championship.
Here’s a projection of where they may fall.
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Where will Indiana fall in college football rankings after Ohio State loss?
The loss for Indiana means it will drop in the top 25. But where will the Hoosiers be ranked in the US LBM Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25 poll on Sunday when they’re released? Here’s a look at where Cignetti’s squad might find itself:
First, the path to the College Football Playoff is very much intact for the Hoosiers, as Saturday’s loss is just Indiana’s first loss of the season.
Last week, voters in both the Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Poll did not penalize Alabama for its three-point loss to Georgia, a game the Crimson Tide still had a chance to win in the closing moments before a series of controversial no-calls — including a potential defensive pass interference penalty that helped derail that opportunity. Whether voters take a similar approach this week remains to be seen, but if Ohio State or Indiana suffers a close loss, a drop of only one to three spots in the rankings would not be surprising.
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Below is a look at how the rest of the top 10 schedule for Week 7 of the season:
Rankings reflect the latest US LBM Coaches Poll
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No. 1 Georgia: vs. Auburn at 3:30 p.m. ET
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No. 2 Notre Dame: vs. No. 8 BYU at 7:30 p.m. ET
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No. 4 Indiana: Lost to No. 5 Ohio State
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No. 5 Ohio State: Beat No. 4 Indiana
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No. 6 Texas: Loss to Florida
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No. 7 Alabama: No. 14 Tennessee at 3:30 p.m. ET
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No. 8 BYU: vs. No. 2 Notre Dame at 7:30 p.m. ET
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No. 10 Ole Miss: vs. No. 13 Missouri at 3:30 p.m. ET
Final projection: No. 7
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: How far will Indiana football fall in rankings after loss to Ohio State? Projections
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