(WXIN/WTTV) — All eyes will be on No. 5 Indiana (10-0) as they look to maintain their unblemished record against No. 2 Ohio State (9-1) at Ohio Stadium on Saturday.
The matchup presents a unique opportunity for the 2024 Hoosiers to emulate IU’s historic 1987-88 season. That year, Indiana did the unthinkable and defeated the Buckeyes, who were ranked ninth at the time, by a score of a 31-10 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus.
FOX59/CBS4 sat down with several former members of the famed ’87-88 team, which was known at the time as “The Mallory Men.” The nickname was an ode to former Hoosier Bill Mallory, who served as Indiana’s head coach for 12 years.
Jeff Fryar was one of Mallory’s first recruits at Indiana. Fryar started along the Hoosiers’ offensive during their win over the Buckeyes in ’87.
“That week, coach Mallory gave us all a buckeye, and we all threw the buckeyes on the floor and was just crushing them all over their locker room, so that was probably one of the biggest memories,” Fryar said.
The upset snapped a 31-game winless streak the Hoosiers had suffered against the Buckeyes.
Former Indiana linebacker Joe Huff also discussed the detailed preparation he and the rest of the team underwent in their buildup to that highly anticipated game in ’87.
“We were properly prepared,” Huff said. “We knew in the second half, when the crowd got quiet, we had the game under control. We knew we were tougher than they were.”
Huff’s takeaway memory from that day? The silence of the crowd.
“Coach Mallory, being a former coach from Ohio State, wanted to always win and always beat Ohio State,” Huff said. “It wasn’t Purdue. It wasn’t Kentucky, which were our two big rivals. In his mind and his passion that he gave to us, the team, Ohio State was our rival.”
That resilience continued to bode well for “The Mallory Men” in the 1988-89 season, as the Hoosiers blew out Ohio State in Bloomington, 41-7. That day, running back Anthony Thompson rushed for 190 yards and four touchdowns.
“Ran the ball and our defense played a great game, a couple interceptions,” Fryar said. “Anthony went loose, and we just showed no mercy on ’em.”
Similar to Mallory, Indiana-Ohio State games have taken an extra meaning for Fryar now that his son, Josh, is a starting offensive lineman for Ohio State.
“First couple years, I couldn’t lose, because if Indiana won, I’m a Hoosier,” Fryar said. “If Josh won, he’s a Buckeye, and I’m a part-time Buckeye, but it tears on you.”
Regardless of the result on Saturday, both former players are enjoying watching this year’s crop of players represent IU under coach Curt Cignetti.
“They have a lot of great players, great coaching staff down there, so I think the ceiling’s up there for them,” Fryar said.
Saturday’s matchup between the second-ranked Buckeyes and fifth-ranked Hoosiers will air on FOX59 at noon.
