The virtual Buckeyes take on the virtual Hoosiers in Week 13.
College football finally returned to the virtual world in 2024 with the release of EA Sports College Football 25, allowing fans of all 134 FBS schools to take control of their favorite team. For Buckeye Nation, that means getting to dominate with one of the best rosters in the game.
The new game also allows us to get a glimpse at what the season could look like, at least if the computers had their say. Each week, Land-Grant Holy Land will simulate Ohio State’s real-life matchup to see what our AI overlords think will happen.
Here are the results of our Week 13 sim:
Ohio State 34 – Indiana 25
This week’s simulation churned out a really fun back-and-forth game. Before you ask, yes: I did substitute Ohio State’s offensive line the way it will be set up on Saturday, with Donovan Jackson at left tackle, Austin Siereveld at left guard and Carson Hinzman at center.
The two top-five teams played to a scoreless first quarter, which included the Buckeyes coming up short on a 4th-and-goal play from inside the Indiana 8-yard line. It wasn’t until the start of the second quarter that either team was able to put points on the board, and it would be Ohio State that scored first on a two-yard touchdown run by TreVeyon Henderson.
The home team added another score on its next drive as well on a 14-yard touchdown run by Jelani Thurman (Chip Kelly pulling out the tight end run?), but Indiana answered with a 23-yard strike from Kurtis Rourke to Miles Cross. The Hoosiers went on to knock through a 48-yard field goal as time expired in the half, as the two Big Ten title game hopefuls entered the break in 14-10 game.
In a rarity for this season, Ohio State was held scoreless in the third quarter, and as a result Indiana was able to take the lead. The Hoosiers’ first drive of the second half ended with a 40-yard field goal to cut the deficit to just one, and towards the end of the frame it was Myles Price hauling in a seven-yard touchdown pass to put Curt Cignetti’s group on top. Indiana attempted a two-point conversion and failed, and so Indiana now led 19-14.
The Buckeyes made up for a lackluster third quarter with a bountiful fourth, turning an IU turnover into a short field goal. Jayden Fielding connected on another field goal attempt on Ohio State’s ensuing drive, this one from 41 yards out, as the home team took a slim 20-19 with still more than 10 minutes of action remaining.
A short while later, Will Howard scrambled into the end zone from a yard out to make it 27-19 Buckeyes, but Indiana was not out of it just yet. With six minutes to go, the Hoosiers hit on their biggest play of the game, as Price beat everyone deep for a 65-yard touchdown, his second of the game. The Hoosiers attempted another two-point conversion in an attempt to tie it up, but Rourke’s pass fell incomplete as Ohio State maintained a 27-25 lead.
On their final drive of the game, OSU managed to march down the field, capping things off with a four-yard touchdown run by Quinshon Judkins to once gain make it a two-score game, now leading 34-25. With time no longer on their side, Indiana worked the ball down towards midfield, but Rourke was unable to connect on a few deep balls and the clock eventually ran out, sealing a hard-fought win for the Buckeyes.
Indiana actually out-gained Ohio State, 385 yards to 342 yards, but a 5-of-14 mark on third down and recording the game’s only turnover is what ultimately sunk the Hoosiers. Rourke also out-dueled Howard, completing 22-of-41 passes for 293 yards and three touchdowns compared to 19-of-29 for 203 yards and no touchdowns for Howard, but Rourke did throw the one interception, while Howard kept his ledger clean.
The Buckeyes scored all four of their touchdowns on the ground, with one each by Howard, Henderson and Judkins. Henderson led the way in the rushing attack with 14 carries for 65 yards, while Judkins had nine carries for 38 yards and Howard had 12 for 33 yards. Henderson was also productive through the air, catching four passes for 42 yards.
It was a quiet day for most of Ohio State’s receivers, with Emeka Egbuka atop the heap with five catches for 55 yards. Carnell Tate added four catches for 40 yards, while Jeremiah Smith caught only three balls for 28 yards. On top of his odd touchdown run, Thurman added two receptions for 16 yards.
Defensively, it was a big day for Jack Sawyer, who tallied three tackles for loss and a sack to go along with his eight total tackles — one shy of Jordan Hancock’s team-high nine tackles. Tyleik Williams recorded two tackles for loss, while Cody Simon and Sonny Styles each nabbed a TFL as well. Eddrick Houston notched the the Buckeyes’ only other sack of the day, and it was Lathan Ransom who came away with that big interception to help swing the game in Ohio State’s favor.
While the real life Buckeyes are 9-1 with a chance to move to 10-1, the virtual Buckeyes move to a perfect 11-0 on the year. Check back next week to see how Ohio State actually performed on the field compared to the simulation, and see how they fare in our Week 14 simulation against Michigan.