There may have been some concern in Columbus that with the departure of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, the Ohio State defense would take a step back this season. But Matt Patricia has made sure that has not been the case, and it hasn't gone unnoticed.

The top-ranked Buckeyes are 8-0 going into today's game at Purdue, and the defense has been a major reason for the undefeated start. With Patricia calling plays, Ohio State has allowed the fewest points and yards in the country, averaging 6.9 points and 215 yards per game. Only Illinois managed to break 200 yards through the air, and only Texas has done so on the ground. The Longhorns were also the only team to gain more than 300 total yards against the Buckeyes' defense.

But with Big Ten foe Indiana starting 9-0 and also boasting one of the best defenses in the nation, the ‘College Gameday' crew was faced with a question about which is truly better. For Michigan alum Desmond Howard, though, the answer was very, very easy.

“The Buckeyes are on a historic run right now,” Howard said. “Listen, they're waiting. [OSU] meets [Indiana] in the Big Ten Championship game, Matt Patricia's going to have something all that [Fernando] Mendoza talk up in Bloomington. Yeah, whatever they're doing, that little offense — this team (OSU) is going to shut it down. Best defense in college football. It's not even close.”

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While Buckeye fans might find it odd to agree with Howard on something, there is great reason to believe Howard is correct about the Ohio State defense, especially if the OSU-Indiana matchup does come to fruition about a month from now.

The Buckyes and Hoosiers are the only two remaining undefeated teams in the Big Ten; OSU is 8-0 overall and 5-0 in conference play, while IU is 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the conference. And in the first College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings of the season, the teams sit at one and two, where they likely could stay for the final four weeks if they both win out. If they do, not only would the Big Ten title be on the line in Indianapolis in December, but the first overall seed in the playoff would be too.