Losing Seth McLaughlin is a pretty big deal for Ohio State, but I still like the Bucks here. Indiana is a great story, and I love what they are building, but the Hoosiers simply don't have the depth that Ohio State has. The Horseshoe is a tough place to play, and Ohio State needs to win here. Buckeyes by 13+.

The Hoosiers have been an amazing story, and that won't change regardless of the outcome Saturday. But the value on a spread that opened at -14 in some outlets now is just too pristine on a Buckeyes club that appears locked in down the stretch.

This has come down more than a field goal from the start of the week creating legitimate value for Ohio State, which has been far more battle tested. Indiana has been a cover machine going 8-2 ATS; however, it has not played any of the other top-six Big Ten teams. Furthermore, the Hoosiers have played seven of their first 10 games at home with the Buckeyes serving as their only ranked opponent of the regular season. I believe in Curt Cignetti (clap, clap), but seeing how Indiana played against Michigan last week makes me concerned about the IU offense against the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense and No. 2 total defense. This is a "let's see" play, but I'd rather have OSU.

Indiana comes into this game 7-0 SU in conference and 8-2 ATS on the season. The Buckeyes have played the much tougher schedule and are holding opponents to 7.3 points per game at home. Indiana is averaging 40.2 points per game and have won almost every game with ease, except against the Wolverines, who still have a good defense, despite their record. Ohio State’s defense is better than that.

There are two main reasons why I like the Hoosiers in this massive Big Ten showdown. First, the season-ending Achilles injury to Buckeyes center Seth McLaughlin is huge. He was playing at an all-conference level, and the timing of his injury—in the middle of the week—only makes replacing him more difficult. Second, Indiana knows that even if loses on Saturday, a close loss could still earn it a spot in the College Football Playoffs. So even if this game gets out of hand, a backdoor cover is still a possibility. Give me the Hoosiers.

Indiana deserves a lot of respect for going 10-0 on the season and covering eight of the games but at some point, we have to question who they played. Was Washington their best team, was it Nebraska, or was it UCLA? It's a fun offense Indiana runs with Kurtis Roarke running the show but they haven't played anybody and the No. 2 defense in the nation only allows 250 yards per game. Ohio State is 9-1 and they beat Penn State and lost at Oregon. Indiana has the No. 2 scoring team at 43.9 per game against the No. 1 scoring defense at 10.3 per game. It should be a fun game but the experience of Ohio State gets them to cover.

The spread has bounced from high single digits as the public becomes increasingly leery of Indiana's credentials. True, the Hoosiers have played a relatively soft schedule, but they've handled all comers. The Buckeyes won't find points easy to secure with C Seth McGlaughlin, injured this week in practice, becoming the third O-lineman to go down. Musical chairs, which the Buckeyes have been forced to play all season with their blockers, continues. Indiana might be denied sustained drives, but QB Kurtis Rourke has mastered the big-gain completion. This could be an elimination game for the Hoosiers, unlike for Ohio State, so their motivation will be off the charts.

The Indiana Hoosiers have two weeks to prepare for this revenge game. The Buckeyes' starting Center went down in practice and is out. They are also dealing with other critical injuries up and down the roster. Indiana will be super motivated, considering Ohio State is 10-0 SU against the Hoosiers in their last ten meetings. Ironically, Indiana enters this matchup at 10-0. Take the points!

This is a classic "pay-to-find-out" spot for me. I have Ohio State as a -17 home favorite over Indiana. Ohio State’s strength on the defensive line will pose significant problems for the Hoosiers in both the run and passing game, especially since Indiana has yet to face a defense of this caliber in such a tough road environment. It's an automatic play at -12.5, where 13 and 14 are key win conditions

Who has Indiana played? That's why I'm laying the points with the home favorites. I understand that the Hoosiers have been impressive this season, but they haven't really been tested. Now the #5 Hoosiers face the #2 Buckeyes, who are 1-1 vs. top-5 teams this season. I'm concerned about OSU's offensive line losing center Seth McLaughlin (achilles), but I'll predict a touchdown from the Buckeyes' defense in what should be a rout either way. Ohio State 38, Indiana 17.