Conventional wisdom has top-ranked Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana both earning first-round byes in the College Football Playoff regardless of what happens in Saturday night’s Big Ten Championship Game.
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti is not buying that for one second.
“The way you play should mean something. It will be the last thing you put on the field. I don’t expect any handouts,” Cignetti said during a Zoom call on Sunday. “We’ve earned everything up to this point and we’ve got to earn it on Saturday.”
If this had been last year, the winner would get the first-round bye and the loser likely the No. 5 seed and a first-round game since the top four ranked conference champions got the top four seeds in the first year of the 12-team field.
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However, the rules were adjusted this year where the top four teams — even if they are from the same conference — receive the byes.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day is of the opposite opinion, pointing out that if a team is already seeded highly, it shouldn’t get dinged for playing this Saturday.
“You’re not supposed to be penalized for playing in the conference championship,” he said. “So yeah, both teams deserve to get a first round bye.”
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti looks on during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Purdue, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in West Lafayette, Ind. Credit: AP/Doug McSchooler
Day though also knows that a win on Saturday would lock up the top seed as Ohio State tries to become the first team since Georgia to win two straight national titles.
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“I think it’s important to win this game and be the one seed. It’s going to help your chances. Everything matters,” Day said.
Both teams are 12-0 and unbeaten in nine Big Ten games.
Indiana started its preparations after a 56-3 romp of Purdue on Friday night. Ohio State snapped a four-game losing streak to Michigan with a 27-9 victory.
The Buckeyes coaching staff started watching film in Ann Arbor on Saturday night as the plane was delayed from taking off due to a snowstorm.
This will be only the third time there has been a matchup between the top two ranked teams in a conference championship game. The previous times were in the Southeastern Conference when Alabama faced Florida.
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Both times the No. 2 team won the matchup. Florida beat Alabama 31-20 in 2008 and the Crimson Tide returned to get revenge the following year with a 32-13 victory.
Cignetti was an assistant at Alabama during those two matchups.
The Buckeyes are 3-2 as the top-ranked team when facing No. 2. The last time was in the 2007 BCS title game when they lost to LSU 38-24.
Indiana comes into the game with the nation’s second-highest scoring offense, averaging 44.3 points per game. Ohio State leads the nation in scoring defense, allowing only 7.8 points per game.
It will also be a chance for both quarterbacks to make their final case for the Heisman Trophy.
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Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is considered the favorite with 2,758 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Ohio State’s Julian Sayin leads the nation with a 78.9% completion rate and has thrown for 3,065 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The conversation around Ohio State football’s championship aspirations often centers on offensive firepower, but a sophomore cornerback might play an important role in helping the Buckeyes accomplish their goals next season.
Devin Sanchez arrived in Columbus as the nation’s top cornerback recruit, and after a freshman season where he earned meaningful snaps in critical moments, the expectations have escalated.
No longer is it enough for Sanchez to be a reliable contributor. He must take a step toward becoming a true lockdown corner who can eliminate one side of the field.
“Is Devin Sanchez ready to be the dude because he’s going to have to be,” co-host Stefan Krajisnik said on Buckeye Talk. “I don’t mean is he ready to be a reliable starter — I mean it’s time… to be a dude. I don’t think it’s putting unrealistic expectations on a guy like Devin Sanchez to be an All-Big Ten first team caliber-type guy.”
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The coaching staff has demonstrated their belief in Sanchez’s potential by giving him high-leverage opportunities against elite competition as a true freshman. Against Texas last season, while other freshmen barely saw the field, Sanchez was trusted in critical moments – a telling sign of the program’s expectations.
Next season’s rematch with Texas will provide an opportunity to see how much progress Sanchez has made since the last time he faced the Longhorns.
As co-host Andrew Gillis put it, “Is he ready to announce himself to the world as lock down?”
The transformation starts now. Co-host Stephen Means made it clear that spring practice represents a crucial development period.
“We should be walking away from spring practice thinking that’s the best cornerback in the Big Ten and his only competition is (Oregon’s) Brandon Finney,” Means said. “That should be the goal for Devin.”
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What makes Sanchez’s development so critical is how it affects the entire defensive structure. If he can become that elite cornerback who eliminates one side of the field, it changes what Ohio State can do with their other 10 defenders. It allows for more aggressive pressure packages, more safety help to other areas, and ultimately, a more disruptive defense.
For Ohio State fans, Sanchez’s development represents one of the most fascinating storylines to follow this offseason. His progression from promising freshman to elite sophomore could be the difference between a playoff appearance and a national championship.
One of Ohio State’s true freshmen along the offensive line is set to enter the portal, as Tyler Bowen is set to enter his second season as line coach.Getty Images
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State freshman offensive lineman Jayvon McFadden is set to enter the transfer portal, per a report on Wednesday afternoon.
He was a member of the 2025 recruiting class as a four-star recruit and the No. 391 overall prospect in the 247Sports composite. McFadden appeared in one game for Ohio State this season, and played 15 snaps.
The Buckeyes now have just two members of the OL class in 2025 left — offensive tackle Carter Lowe and interior lineman Jake Cook.
Ohio State was unlikely to have McFadden enter the two-deep in the 2026 season, considering what talent the team is expected to have come back to the roster.
A wild transfer portal continues to march on for Ohio State.
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Andrew Gillis covers Ohio State football and recruiting for Cleveland.com. He provides updates on Ohio State football as a whole, its prospects and the Buckeyes each week. He previously covered the Bengals for…
Ohio State standout wide receiver Carnell Tate announced on Tuesday he is leaving school early to declare for the NFL draft.
Tate announced his decision on social media. The junior had 51 receptions for 875 yards and nine touchdowns this season as he became a deep threat in the Buckeyes’ passing attack.
Tate — an AP second-team All-American — had nine receptions of at least 40 yards, tied for third in the Football Bowl Subdivision, including five touchdowns. After missing three games in November because of lower leg tightness, Tate returned against Michigan and put the game out of reach with a 50-yard TD that made it 24-9 midway through the third quarter.
“I’m proud of everything I’ve accomplished at Ohio State and will carry the lessons, relationships, and memories from this program with me forever,” Tate wrote.
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Tate is expected to become the sixth OSU receiver selected in the first round since 2022, joining Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave (2022), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (2023), Marvin Harrison Jr. (2024) and Emeka Egbuka (2025).
Ohio State’s offense will have some changes after finishing 12-2 and losing to Miami in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl. Besides Tate’s departure, offensive coordinator and receivers coach Brian Hartline has become the head coach at South Florida.
Coach Ryan Day announced last week he hired Cortez Hankton as receivers coach. Hankton had spent four seasons at LSU, including the past two as receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator.
Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate runs after making a catch against Miami during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. Credit: AP/Gareth Patterson
Day though remains in the market for an offensive coordinator.
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Even with Tate’s departure, the Buckeyes will have plenty of talent in the passing game. First-team All-American Jeremiah Smith will be back for one more season along with quarterback Julian Sayin. Five-star prospect Chris Henry Jr. committed to the Buckeyes during the early signing period.
