BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Ohio State hasn't lost a regular season Big Ten contest under Urban Meyer, but if it continues to play this loose with the football on offense who knows how much longer that will hold true.
The Buckeyes have turned the ball over 19 times in their last seven games dating back to the 2014 post-season, including three more Saturday in a 34-27 victory at previously unbeaten Indiana.
A terrible case of the turnover bug, laziness or whatever you want to call it, the fact Ohio State's seemingly always on the wrong side of the turnover battle at the end of the game is encompassing the mind of Meyer.
"That's kind of been, it actually started a little bit near the end of the season. We used to always be near the tops in turnovers. We emphasize the heck out of it, we practice it. We have guys hitting them so they put the ball away. The emphasis and the players that touch the ball, just have to make sure it's tight."
It is not going unnoticed by Meyer's players, either.
"We're just shooting ourselves in the foot a lot," left tackle Taylor Decker said. "Not taking anything away from their defense, because they did play really well, but penalties missed communications, missed blocks, things like that. It's killing us. It's killing us. A lot of mistakes, a lot of things that we need to clean up, but when we execute properly, the offense looks great."
Ohio State racked up 109 penalty yards Saturday. The Hoosiers were awarded five first downs from Buckeye flags, hanging around despite an explosive second half by running back Ezekiel Elliott. The junior from St. Louis rushed for 243 of his career-high 274 yards in the game's final 30 minutes, the bulk of them coming on touchdown rushes of 55, 65 and 75 yards.
"I think he ran for something like 240 in the second half. Three big hits," Meyer said. "Great to see him get to the second level. We just gotta compliment that with the passing game a little bit. Once again, those darn turnovers. I think all three of them were in the pass game. We gotta fix that."
Even in the praise of his star running back, Meyer showed the issues with his team taking care of the ball is eating at him. Jalin Marshall fumbled twice — one inside Indiana's 10-yard line — and Jones misread the defense and threw his fifth interception of the season. It doesn't seem like a problem that's going away.
"We’ve gotta get it fixed. We can’t win ball games, we can’t expect to win ball games like that," Jones said. "Especially playing a great team like Indiana, thank God for our defense because they played lights out. I think we had three turnovers today and we still found a way to come out with a ‘W,’ but we can’t expect that each week."
"We were just killing ourselves with turnovers and everything," added Elliott. "We weren’t giving ourselves a shot and that’s something we’ve been doing all season. We’ve gotta eliminate that. We knew going into the second half that we’ve gotta be more consistent and make big plays."
Elliott made just enough big plays to keep Ohio State in the land of the unbeaten, although Indiana still had a shot to tie the game in the final seconds. Backup quarterback Zander Diamont mishandled the snap initially, but managed to throw the ball to the end zone as he rolled left away from Tyquan Lewis and Joey Bosa (who combined for six tackles for loss).
"It took a couple years off my life," Decker said of the final play. "A win’s a win, came in here against a quality opponent, a tough environment. They played really well. But ultimately, even though it was tight, a win's a win."
Diamont was pressed into duty due to an ankle injury sustained by starting quarterback Nate Sudfield, and his 79-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage after Elliott put Ohio State up 34-20 completely shifted the momentum of the game once again.
"I think we can play with anybody in the country," Diamont said. "I think people around here are starting to realize we are a really good football team."
Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson wasn't so positive, noting how the Hoosiers missed their chance to pull the upset despite an all-world performance from Elliott.
"So 55 and 65 is 130, and 75 is 205, so the rest of the day he’s got, what, 72 yards," Wilson said. "And they’ve got less than 100 except for three plays. Like I said, to me the difference in the game, they turned it over a couple times, gave us a chance, they made three big plays, and we really didn’t make one."
Regardless, Ohio State returns to Columbus 5-0 and begins preparations for Maryland. The Terrapins are struggling, sitting at 2-3 after getting blanked 28-0 by Michigan Saturday at home.
"Being a Buckeye coming off the national championship, we know every week we’re gonna get every team’s best shot," Elliott said. "That’s something we’ve talked about that we can’t put ourselves in situations like that where you turn the ball over three times and have it go down for the last play."
Saturday, that shot was from Indiana.
"I think I've learned to enjoy it, but I'm very frustrated," Meyer said. "The turnover thing’s got me right now and we gotta get that fixed. But to walk out of here, the script was written a little bit like Penn State last year. On the road, to get on a plane here in a minute with a victory, I'll take it. So exhilaration — I guess for a 51-year-old man, I'm pretty exhilarated right now if you can't tell.
"They beat Missouri last year. I tell you, look across the country and every day you better play. You better play. They have Division I scholarship athletes, too, and that’s a team that will be going to a bowl game."
Turnover issues, penalty issues, offensive issues: All present. Confidence, though, still rides high from Ohio State.
"The team will melt together, everybody will click and we'll just get better at practice and take this for the books," safety Vonn Bell said. "Get back, look at the film, get on the plane and get out here."
