In 2017, following a thrilling come-from-behind, one-point victory over Penn State, the Ohio State football team got blown out on the road by Iowa, 55-24. In 2018, following a thrilling come-from-behind, one-point victory over Penn State, the Ohio State football (6-0, 3-0) team struggled against the Indiana Hoosiers (4-2, 1-2), before eventually pulling out the victory, 49-26.
Despite the lofty ranking, the Buckeye defense was porous at best; the offense felt frustratingly like the worst of the middling, zone-read era; and both sides of the ball continued their season-long struggles with penalties.
However, OSU found enough plays to win, but it was never as comfortable as most would have assumed it would be coming into the game.