Ohio State 42, Indiana 14
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Braxton Miller passed for two touchdowns and had two more on acrobatic runs as No. 3 Ohio State defeated Indiana, 42-14, in snowy Ohio Stadium on Saturday.
Carlos Hyde, like Miller, had two first-half rushing touchdowns as the Buckeyes (11-0, 7-0 in the Big Ten) took a 28-0 lead and set a school record with their 23rd straight win, a streak that began with Urban Meyer's first game as coach in 2012.
The Buckeyes won the Leaders Division for the second straight season but will play in the Big Ten championship game for the first time Dec. 7 in Indianapolis against Legends Division winner Michigan State.
Ohio State was ineligible for the postseason in 2012 because of NCAA sanctions.
Miller completed 11-of-17 passes for 160 yards with an interception, and added 144 rushing yards on 13 carries, while Hyde had 114 yards on 17 carries.
Indiana (4-6, 2-4) had two drives deep into Ohio State territory end with quarterback sacks, another on an incomplete pass in the end zone from the two-yard-line, and had two missed field goals off the uprights from the usually reliable Mitch Ewald, who had made his previous eight.
Indiana (4-7, 2-5) finally got on the board with 5:59 left in the game when Tre Roberson passed four yards to Shane Wynn for a touchdown. Nate Sudfeld threw a 25-yard scoring pass to D'Angelo Roberts with two minutes left to complete the Indiana scoring.
Miller put the Buckeyes ahead, 35-0, late in the third quarter on a shovel pass to Dontre Wilson in the backfield that the running back took 24 yards.'
Then Miller found Devin Smith on a post pattern for 39 yards and a score with 10:37 to play to cap a 98-yard drive.
On both of Miller's running scores he somersaulted into the end zone.
The first gave Ohio State a 14-0 lead at 8:11 of the first quarter. Miller broke outside and raced toward the right pylon with two Indiana players in pursuit and he dived from the two-yard-line to complete a five-play, 56-yard drive.
Miller made it 21-0 just past the midpoint of the second quarter from the five. Backup quarterback Kenny Guiton took the snap and pitched the ball to Miller on a reverse.
As Miller ran right, he vaulted Tim Bennett at the one, but was hit by Forisse Hardin and landed on his head in the end zone. The ball popped loose, but Miller was already across the goal line.
NOTES: Ohio State has a 69-12-5 record in the series, winning 18 straight vs. the Hoosiers. Indiana has not won since a 41-7 victory in Bloomington on Oct. 8, 1988. The last Hoosiers win in Columbus was 31-10 in 1987. ... Indiana had scored 28 points or more in 10 straight games this season, a school record, until losing, 51-3, at Wisconsin on Nov. 16. ... Ohio State has outscored opponents, 206-38, in the first quarter this season.
