Can undefeated Indiana football shock the world and uspet Ohio State?

2020 has been a nightmare for many but it’s been a dream for Indiana football.

Indiana football is 4-0 in the Big Ten for the first time since 1987 and plays Ohio State next week, but can the Hoosiers really challenge Justin Fields and the Buckeyes?

After beating Penn State, Michigan and most recently, Michigan State, Indiana is up to 4-0 as they continue to reset expectations for the program. Tom Allen has flipped the culture around in Bloomington and his energy has been infectious in and around the program who now believes that can compete with any program in the Big Ten.

And why shouldn’t they after what they’ve done this year?

Indiana got their first win at East Lansing since 2001, first 4-0 start in the Big Ten since 1987, first win vs. Michigan since 1987, first win over a top-10 team since 1967, their first season with wins over both Michigan and Michigan State and their first home win as a top-10 team since 1967.

Now, the toughest test comes next as the Hoosiers attempt to beat Ohio State for the first time since 1988 when they won two in a row, dating back to 1987. Indiana tied Ohio State in 1990.

Can Indiana upset Ohio State?

In a word: no.

Ohio State is too talented for Indiana and can’t hang with Fields and the Buckeyes on either side of the ball. The Buckeyes are better in the trenches, on the perimeter, on defense and in the coaching booth. Plus, the game will be in Columbus, which in a normal year would be full of 100,000-plus screaming Buckeye fans making life miserable for the Hoosiers.

It’s been a wonderful season for Indiana but they’ll get a wake-up call next Saturday when they come to The Shoe and take on Fields and Ohio State.

Still, being 4-1 will be a lot better than being 1-4 which it could have been if not for the surprisingly strong start to the season that was full of one upset after another. The momentum is there, however, for Allen’s Hoosiers to possibly win the rest of their games outside of Ohio State, which could put him in line for the Coach of the Year awards.

There’s no shame in losing to Ohio State.

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