BLOOMINGTON, Ind — In its first drive against the Indiana offense, the Ohio State defense didn’t look like a unit that progressed like it had over the previous five weeks.

While spurts of it were still there — pressures turning into sacks by defensive tackle Haskell Garrett and defensive end Zach Harrison — the Hoosiers continued to move the ball down the field,. They converted on four third downs by an average of 7.8 yards, including a 3rd-and-Goal in which Indiana quarterback Jack Tuttle found tight end Peyton Hendershot to tie the game.

Leaving the first drive with seven points allowed, redshirt freshman safety Kourt Williams II knew it was due to sloppy mistakes. He knew it wasn’t because of what the Indiana offense was doing well, but because of things Ohio State’s defense allowed to happen.

That first touchdown was on Ohio State. It was up to Ohio State to get it fixed.

“We just had to be disciplined, play by our rules and that’s what we did,” Williams said.

After the 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to start the game, Ohio State limited Indiana to 53 yards on 39 plays, shutting out the Hoosiers the rest of the way with the same things that brought the Buckeyes success over this run: pressure in the backfield, not allowing time for plays to develop offensively.

“That’s a tribute to the guys on defense: Matt (Barnes), Kerry (Coombs), Larry (Johnson), Al (Washington), all the guys that are over there trying to identify how they are being attacked then coming up with the answers,” head coach Ryan Day said. “That’s what it comes down to. You want to have answers when your guys come off the field: ‘What happened? How are we going to get it fixed?’”

Fifteen different Ohio State defenders split the unit’s 14 tackles for loss Saturday night, including multiple by linebacker Tommy Eichenberg and defensive end Zach Harrison.

For Williams, who tied for the team lead with three solo tackles including one tackle for loss, it comes down to the same approach that the Ohio State defense always has: stopping the run; something the Buckeyes did in a major way Saturday night, limiting the Hoosiers to 48 yards on 37 carries.

Ohio State has not allowed a rushing touchdown by an opponent since the Oregon game.

With this, against Indiana, neither Tuttle, freshman Donaven McCulley nor redshirt sophomore walk-on Grant Gremel could get the passing game going, completing 47% of attempts for 80 yards and that single touchdown to Hendershot.

But the difference between this defense and the one Ohio State has shown over the past few weeks is simply communication, meeting together to ensure that what the redshirt freshman safety calls “the little things” are getting addressed.

“When you play against teams where talent equates, it’s the little things that get you over the edge,” Williams said.

It's a communication Williams said he sees on the sideline, getting the defensive adjustments from secondary coach Matt Barnes, who's calling plays for the unit, but who's also collaborating with defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs, defensive line coach Larry Johnson and linebackers coach Al Washington to make those adjustments.

The “little things,” the confidence, Williams said, stems from preparation, allowing the Ohio State defense, as a whole, to play fast, tight and with a chip on its shoulder.

While more tests are coming, Ohio State’s defense is at a place where it believes it can stop anyone. There are still things to be fixed, those “little things” to tweak.

But with that mindset, Williams feels the Buckeyes are capable of doing something extremely special

“As long as we keep doing what we are doing, keep getting better, improving on the things we need to improve on, it’s going to be a problem,” Williams said. “We’re going to be a problem. Unstoppable.”