By admin 
The Ohio State Buckeyes have maintained their standard of excellence in the Big Ten thus far this season, extending their winning streak to four with a 45-16 win against the Maryland Terrapins Saturday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio.
Read more 3 Most Crucial Statlines in UCLA Football’s Win Over Oregon
Even though it wasn’t the cleanest game of football from the Buckeyes (5-1, 3-0 Big Ten), they handled business when it mattered most against the Terrapins (2-4, 0-3 Big Ten), a team that had yet to showcase any significant progress in conference play thus far under the direction of eighth-year coach Mike Locksley.
However, Locksley was quick to credit coach Ryan Day’s consistency in maintaining expectations for the Buckeyes’ championship excellence.
“Ohio State is really deserving of their ranking; they made the plays they needed to make,” Locksley told reporters.
What’s Next for Ohio State’s Playoff Hopes?
Mental errors, even against a team like Maryland, are unacceptable on Day’s watch.
“And so we’ve got to get this stuff fixed,” Day said regarding pre-snap miscues, among other situations. “And some of these penalties don’t always come up in practice, the late hits on the quarterback and things like this. They have to be addressed and they have to understand how important those are. It can’t just be, “Hey, get them again next time.’ That’s not how it goes. There’s too much at stake here. And it’s my job as the coach to make sure that I can challenge those guys.”
Speaking of challenges, the Week 6 AP Poll rankings were released Sunday ahead of this Saturday’s Big Ten title game rematch with the Indiana Hoosiers. The Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) rallied from a 17-6 road deficit against the then-unbeaten Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) Saturday to win 20-17 in a thrilling fourth-quarter finish in Lincoln.
Read more Angel Reese Makes Lavish Decision Before WNBA Finals
It may be too early to label the Ohio State-Indiana matchup as a game to eliminate a conference title contender. However, the latest poll indicates just how big the game actually is. Ohio State moved up to No. 4, while the Hoosiers got much-needed help as No. 1 Texas fell to Oklahoma and UCLA stunned then-ranked No. 12 Oregon in Eugene.
Tying the results together, the Hoosiers jumped two spots to No. 5, as both teams now sit as the two highest-ranked Big Ten teams to date, to go alongside the No. 12-ranked Bruins (up nine spots), the No. 17-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes (up three spots), No. 19 USC Trojans and the newest entry, the No. 25 Northwestern Wildcats.
There is still much more to be decided but Hoosiers-Buckeyes part two has all the makings of a classic.
Today’s best reads
- Could Ohio State Be The Final Game For Mike Locksley At Maryland?
- What the Big Ten Standings Show is Ohio State’s Biggest Concern Moving Forward
- Ohio State On SI Week 6 Predictions: Can Buckeyes Make Homecoming Statement?
- Why Ohio State’s Win vs. Iowa Sends Message To AP Voters After Sunday Release
- Ohio State’s Ryan Day Protects Brand Image With Shocking Dave Portnoy Decision
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ohiostate as Why Ohio State’s Latest AP Ranking Sets Up Perfect Storm Entering Indiana Rematch.
Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Read more Liam Coen’s Jaguars Found a Way to Win Ugly Across the Pond
This story was originally published October 12, 2026 at 4:00 AM.