Curt Cignett and Indiana were confident heading into their Week 13 matchup with Ohio State but through three quarters, the Buckeyes are having their way. The game was expected to be the biggest of the week but was blown wide open by safety Caleb Downs in the third quarter.

Downs, who doubles as the Buckeyes' punt returner, took a kick from Indiana punter James Evans 79 yards for a touchdown to extend Ohio State's lead to 21-7. It marked the first time Ohio State returned a punt for a score in almost exactly 10 years to the date.

As the team's starting safety, the sophomore has been one of the main reasons Ryan Day's squad boasts one of the best defenses in the country. Downs has not been given many opportunities as a return specialist on the year but showed off his elite playmaking ability in the team's biggest game of the year.

The 2024 season Downs' first year in Columbus after spending his first year of college football with Alabama. Despite being recognized as a second-team All-American as a freshman, Downs entered the transfer portal after the Crimson Tide lost to Michigan in the 2024 Rose Bowl in Nick Saban's final game as head coach. He became the No. 1 player in the portal and committed to Ohio State just days later.

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Ohio State seeks first Big 10 Championship Game berth since 2020

Ohio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs (2) fields a punt during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024.
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After Downs put the Buckeyes up big in the third quarter, a Big 10 Championship Game berth was put within arms' reach of Ohio State. With a win over the Hoosiers, Ohio State would only need a win over Michigan in their final game of the regular season to return to the conference title game for the first time in four years.

Since 2020, the conference has been dominated by Michigan, who have taken the last three titles. The last time Ohio State made the championship game was also the last year that they beat the Wolverines, with the annual rivalry game typically depicting the team that represents the division. However, following a 2024 national championship, Michigan lost head coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterback J.J. McCarthy to the NFL, resulting in a 5-5 season entering Week 13.

As such, Ohio State and Indiana entered their top-five matchup with a spot on the Big 10 Championship Game on the line. A win for the Hoosiers would essentially lock them into the game against the No. 1-ranked Oregon Ducks. A win for the Buckeyes would put them in an equally comfortable position to control their own destiny leading into their matchup with Michigan.