Ohio State coach Ryan Day expressed respect for Indiana ahead of Saturday’s Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Buckeyes enter as defending national champions. But Day told reporters Wednesday he’s not taking the Hoosiers lightly.
“There’s a reason they’re ranked No. 2 in the country. It’s gonna be a battle on Saturday night.”
Day praised Indiana’s defense specifically.
“They’re fast, they’re quick,” Day said. “They’re as good as anybody in the country. Really impressed with how they play, how physical they are.”
The Ohio State coach highlighted improvements across Indiana’s entire roster from last season.
“I think all areas are upgraded from last year. As good as they were last year, they’re better this year.”
Ohio State will have receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate healthy for the championship game.
Day expects his tight end room to play a bigger role Saturday night.
“Now they all have to step up even more,” Day said. “Looking forward to seeing how these guys do the rest of the week.”
The game kicks off Saturday night on Fox. For Indiana, it’s a chance to prove they belong among the nation’s elite heading into the 12-team playoff field.
Ohio State seeks back-to-back Big Ten titles and a strong playoff seeding with the the victory.
