By Cole SullivanShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberThe No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes have been a dominant force all season long, and outside of their Week 1 14-7 win over the Texas Longhorns, they've outscored every opponent on their schedule by 18 or more points, catapulting them to a 12-0 record on the season.
Ohio State now will gear up for a massive showdown on Saturday night against the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers, also 12-0, in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Ahead of the matchup, the Buckeyes revealed some big news on their defensive star and catalyst, Caleb Downs, who's been a staple of Ohio State's success over the last two seasons since he transferred to Columbus from Alabama after his freshman season.
Downs was named the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year and the Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year.
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Downs does a little bit of everything on the defensive side of the ball. Even though offenses try to avoid him whenever possible, he can drop back and cover an opponent’s top receiver, play effectively in zone, line up in the box or on the edge, and tackle as well as anyone in the open field.
All of that is why he’s stayed atop virtually every 2026 NFL draft big board, even as a safety — a position that usually doesn’t go near the top on a year-to-year basis. But when you’re dealing with a talent as rare as Downs, teams are going to jump at the chance.
...Downs is already an All-American and will soon be adding a second honor to his college resume. Through 12 games, he’s posted 52 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions, and two pass deflections.
More news: Ole Miss Announces Major CFP Boost as Lane Kiffin’s LSU Staffer Returns
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