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Jalin Marshall propels Ohio State to 42-27 win over Indiana

Yes, the final score looks like a blowout, but Indiana gave Ohio State a serious scare on Saturday.

The Buckeyes clinched the Big Ten East with a 42-27 win over the Hoosiers, but the game wasn't in control until there were less than five minutes left in the fourth quarter, when the Buckeyes picked off Indiana quarterback Zander Diamont and scored one play later.

Heck, Ohio State was even trailing late into the third quarter after Indiana running back Tevin Coleman, perhaps the most underappreciated player in college football, ran 90 yards for a touchdown to give Indiana a 20-14 lead with 7:17 to go in the third.

But three possessions after Coleman's TD run, the game became the Jalin Marshall show.

A week after fumbling twice, including on a punt return against Minnesota, Marshall (who worked on catching punts after practice this week) took a punt back 54 yards for a touchdown and a 21-20 Ohio State lead with 2:12 left in the third.

Then, in the fourth quarter, he scored three more touchdowns, all on passes from J.T. Barrett. A six-yard touchdown made it 28-20. Then a 15-yard touchdown after Diamont's interception made it a two-score game with a sweet one-handed catch.

And for good measure, 90 seconds after his third touchdown, Marshall scored again on a 54-yard pass from Barrett.

Not only had the upset hopes of Indiana been swiped, but they were thrown on the ground and stomped.

The touchdown barrage also likely keeps Ohio State from a drop in the College Football Playoff rankings. On Tuesday, we saw TCU fall a spot after struggling on the road against Kansas in a 34-30 win. Had Marshall not taken over for the Buckeyes and the score remained close, a good win for Baylor later Saturday over Oklahoma State could have pushed the Bears to No. 6 in the rankings.

Instead, Ohio State will probably get to keep the spot and start preparing for the Big Ten Championship Game, though the Buckeyes don't know who the opponent will be just yet. The winner of next Saturday's game between Wisconsin and Minnesota will determine the West representative.

For more Indiana news, visit Peegs.com.

For more Ohio State news, visit BuckeyeGrove.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!