Team tries to break 3-game losing streak

History shows the Hoosiers (2-3, 0-2) haven’t been on the winning side much against No. 8 Ohio State (6-0, 2-0).

OSU leads the 110-year series 68-12-5.

The Buckeyes have won 48 of the last 52 games and tied two of them. The last time IU won was in 1988 by a score of 41-7.

Last year was closer than in recent years with the Hoosiers losing on the road 34-20.

During a year in which the Buckeyes lost their head coach, Jim Tressel, they went 6-7 under interim head coach Luke Fickell.

Changes have been made to the program since last year.

Urban Meyer took over the team as head coach and made Fickell the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Buckeyes.

Meyer has won two national titles with a record of 110-23 (.827 winning percentage) in his 11 years as a collegiate head coach.

Since Meyer took over the program, the team has gone undefeated with wins against former No. 20 Michigan State and former No. 21 Nebraska in Meyer’s Big Ten
campaign.

Both of those games were won on the road.

“They are probably the most talented team we’ve played to date,” special teams and recruiting coordinator Mark Hagen said. “Certainly the most explosive quarterback.”

The quarterback Hagen referred to is sophomore Braxton Miller.

Miller is currently second in ESPN’s Heisman Watch, following West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith.

The Huber Heights, Ohio, native has recorded 1,060 passing yards for nine touchdowns and 763 rushing yards for eight touchdowns, leading the team in both
categories.

“He’s a great athlete and a great competitor, and they have a great coaching staff, so hopefully we won’t see his best on Saturday, but he’s a very special player,” IU Coach Kevin Wilson said.

According to Rivals.com, Miller was the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback coming out of the 2011 class.

Hagen said the defensive attack against Miller is one of the main points to the
Hoosiers’ game plan.

“We are going to try and have a couple guys on Miller every time,” Hagen said  

His ability to use his arm or his legs to make big plays has been the thriving point for the OSU offense, Wilson said.

“Braxton is the guy who makes it go because of his abilities,” Wilson said. “He’s the best runner on the field, and he’s also a guy that they can throw the ball to.”

As a team, the Buckeyes are 10th in the country with an average of 249 rushing yards per game and 22nd in points scored with 38.5 per game on average.

Freshman defensive end Zack Shaw said the atmosphere at Memorial Stadium will be rocking as IU attempts to defeat one of the nation’s best teams and give Ohio State their first loss of the season.
 
“Coming out here and seeing all the fans under the lights just gets you pumped up and gives you a good feeling,” Shaw said.