Ohio State’s so-called superpower is getting exposed by Indiana, again: Stephen Means’ Halftime Thoughts

Ohio StateOhio State quarterback Julian Sayin (10) on the field before an NCAA college football game against Indiana, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)AP Photo/Doug McSchoolerBy Stephen Means, cleveland.comBLOOMINGTON, Ind. --Ohio State opened up the game with a seven-play, 67-yard drive where it moved the ball effortlessly against Indiana. Only to have it stall in the red zone, having to settle for a field goal.It’s a tale as old as time. We’re 100 games into the Ryan Day era, and his 87-13 record tells a clear story of what his team’s fatal flaw has been. When the Buckeye finish drives, they win. When they don’t, they lose.In his 87 wins as head coach, OSU has converted an average of 73% of its red zone trips into touchdowns. That drops down to 45.8% in 13 losses. No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Indiana: Live updates from the clash of Big Ten powersHow to watch Ohio State football game for free today Ohio State vs. Indiana football injury report: Who’s in, who’s out for ranked Big Ten matchupBuckeyes seek revenge for Big Ten title game loss: Polymarket futures odds and model projections before IndianaNot punching that first drive in for a touchdown isn’t the loudest problem with this offense through 30 minutes, but it did set a tone for a team already starting to check off its list of things that typically go wrong when this team has lost over the past eight years.Indiana is selling out on taking away Jeremiah Smith and succeeding. His two targets have resulted in one 13-yard catch and a tipped pass that led to an interception that set up the Hoosiers in prime position to take a 7-3 lead. You can’t blame your defense for giving up a touchdown when it was already set up to fail. Matt Patricia’s unit did its job.The same can be said for Robby Discher’s unit, as punter Joe McGuire had what’s probably been his best day as a Buckeye, with multiple punts that landed inside the 20.There’s one group not doing its part right now, and it’s the unit that’s supposed to be what Ohio State’s national championship chances are built on.You know, the side with a veteran Heisman finalist at quarterback, a 1,000-yard running back, a veteran offensive line and a generational talent at wide receiver, with an NFL head coach calling the plays. That group. Ohio State’s offense needs to start doing its job. That starts under center with Sayin — the quarterback a fanbase still isn’t sure is good enough to win the games and spent the first half only reinforcing those doubts.Sayin’s halftime stat line of 10 of 21 for 147 yards, a touchdown to Bo Jackson and a pick isn’t helping change anyone’s mind. Even if the Buckeyes managed to get through it with a 10-7 lead.Stephen Means covers Ohio State football for Cleveland.com while also serving as the host of the Buckeye Talk podcast. Prior to covering the Buckeyes, he got experience working at the Akron Beacon Journal...