Photo: Darron Cummings/ESPN.com

Despite many thinking the match-up between Ohio State and Indiana had potential upset written all over it, the Buckeyes were able to easily cruise to a victory against the cross-state rival Hoosiers by a score of 33-14. The Buckeyes outgained Indiana in total offense by a total of 378 to 228 yards as sophomore quarterback Terrelle Pryor hosted his '2009 Coming Out Party.' Here are my thoughts on Saturday's victory in Bloomington:

In the last three games combined (Toledo, Illinois, Indiana) the Buckeyes have surrendered a grand total of 113 rushing yards on 73 attempts. Yes, you read that correctly, Ohio State is giving up an average of 1.55 yards per rush in its last three games. If that isn't an indication of how talented this defensive line is, I don't know what is. Before the season, I was one of the few that truly believed the experience on this defensive line would help solidify this Buckeye unit as one of the top groups of linemen in the nation. Five games into the season, it seems everyone is realizing how special these guys are when it comes to stopping the run.

In the last three games combined (Toledo, Illinois, Indiana) the Buckeyes have gained a grand total of 702 rushing yards on 139 carries (5.5 ypc). Yes, you read that correctly, Ohio State has gained nearly 7 times as much yardage on the ground as its opponents in the past three games. An interesting statistic is the number of run plays in those games: Toledo: 46, Illinois: 46, Indiana: 47. It seems the coaches have realized our offensive strength is our ability to utilize our talented stable of running backs (Boom Herron, Brandon Saine, Jordan Hall, Terrelle Pryor) and simply pound the ball down the throat of the opposing defense. As a Buckeye fan, I can't say there is anything I enjoy more than watching a player like Brandon Saine consistently rip off 7 to 10 yards per carry.

The ability of the defense to stop the run and the ability of the offense to utilize the run effectively is going to pay off for this Buckeye team as they make their way through the rigorous Big Ten schedule. All too often in the Big Ten games the run game is essential because of poor weather conditions (Illinois game). I am officially going on record with my next two statements: This team will not surrender more than 100 rushing yards against any team the rest of the season. This team will not be held to under 175 yards rushing by any defense for the remainder of the season.

Earning the first start of his Buckeye career (due to Boom Herron's ankle injury), Brandon Saine had an exceptional performance. Saine gained 113 yards on 17 carries and also caught 2 passes for 19 yards. After last season, I was worried that the loss of Beanie Wells would plague the Buckeye running game, but it seems that the opposite has happened. My theory is that Beanie's departure initiated competition that has brought the best out of the running backs. Brandon Saine is finally looking like the 2006 Mr. Ohio Football player that he was in high school. After his performance on Saturday, I wonder if the coaches are going to think twice about giving the starting spot back to Mr. Herron. Who gets the nod next week remains to be seen, but I know if I were the one making the choice, I would not change a thing about this in-Saine starting backfield.

Or is it TD-TD-TD-Pryor? Terrelle continued to impress Buckeye fans with his performance against Indiana this weekend. He finished the game with 159 yards through the air on 16 of 27 passing, as he tossed 3 touchdowns and a late interception. He also added 63 yards and a score on the ground. Pryor connected with eight different receivers on the day (including fullback Zach Boren and tight end Jake Ballard). I can't stress enough how happy I am to see TP get the fullbacks and tight ends involved in activities on the field other than blocking. Now that defenses have to respect our tight ends and fullbacks as eligible receivers, the passing game is much more versatile.

Before the season, I predicted that before his time at Ohio State is over, that DeVier Posey would go down as one of the best receivers to ever suit up for the Scarlet and Gray. I also said that he would lead the team in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Up to this point, he has been affected by a sore hamstring, but I think his performance against Indiana was the turning point of his 2009 season, as he snagged 4 passes for 51 yards and 1 touchdown.

Last week I commented on how senior kicker Aaron Pettrey is underappreciated. Maybe I jinxed him for this week's game. Pettrey was 1 of 3 on field goals for the game as he missed two of the easier kicks he has had a chance at this season. Every kicker has his good and bad days. I'm hoping Pettrey's pitiful kicking performance against Indiana will not carry over into the remainder of the season. A staple of Tressel-coached teams is exceptional special teams play. Giving up nearly 32 yards per kick return and missing 2 field goals is nowhere near exceptional.

Todd Denlinger's interception in the second quarter of the game was one of those Buckeye moments I will never forget. Any time I can witness a 300 pound bohemoth snag a pass and then truck down the field 14 yards with the ball in his hand I can't help but jump out of my seat and scream in excitement. Todd finished the day with just one tackle and the interception, but I noticed he was consistently getting pressure on Indiana's Ben Chappell. Anderson 'Stone Hands' Russell also intercepted a Chappell pass. My biggest gripe the past three seasons with Russell has been his ability to impersonate Braylon Edwards while playing defense. Filling in for the suspended Kurt Coleman, Russell had the best game of his Buckeye career. He finished with 6 tackles, 1 interception, and 1 fumble recovery.

• Duron Carter caught the first of what will surely be many touchdowns as a Buckeye. He finished the game with 16 yards on 3 catches.
• Ray Small caught 2 passes for 20 yards, returned a kick for 46 yards, and returned a punt for 10 yards, as he finished the day with 76 all-purpose yards.
• Dane Sanzenbacher (419!) caught 2 passes for 25 yards as he has now recorded at least 2 catches in each game this season. His season total now stands at 302 yards and 4 touchdowns.
• Nathan Williams, Rob Rose, and Austin Spitler each recorded a sack on the day.
• Andrew Sweat and Devon Torrence each proved why they have been seeing the field so much as they each forced a fumble.

I typically like to give this award to a single player, but in this case that would mean slighting a stellar performance by either Saine or Pryor. Brandon finished the day with 132 combined rushing and receiving yards as he led the team in all-purpose yardage for the second straight week. Meanwhile, Terrelle quietly passed for 159 yards and 3 touchdowns. The reason TP was unable to record more passing yardage is due to the success of the running game and the excellent average starting field position (OSU-37). The speed of Pryor and Saine in the Buckeye backfield going to be a lethal combination as we make our way through the rest of the Big Ten season.

Filling in for Kurt Coleman (suspended for his bonehead late hit against Illinois), Russell surprised many with his exceptional performance. Maybe losing his starting spot to Jermale Hines inspired him to put on a show for the coaches. Maybe he felt the pressure to excel in the absence of his buddy Mr. Coleman. Whatever the case, I feel confident in our depth at the safety position after Anderson's performance on Saturday.

I'm probably being a bit harsh with this one because the game was nothing short of a blowout. But I feel as if two missed field goals is entirely unacceptable, especially when they were both from less than 35 yards. Despite the lopsided score, I was disappointed to see fourth quarter Buckeye drive halted by a poorly thrown interception. The running game (both offensive and defensive) turned in an 'A+' performance, but the special teams earned themselves a 'D' on the day. Throw in the fact that I was really hoping to see another shutout and had to witness the Hoosiers score twice on the day, and I can't see awarding the team any higher than a 'B-.'

The Buckeyes host Wisconsin at the 'Shoe next Saturday. This will be the first real Big Ten test for the Buckeyes so far this season.

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