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COLUMBUS — Dexter Larimore may not be able to say whether the high school competition he faced in Indiana was good preparation for college, but he knows how much motivation he draws from having to defend the honor of the Hoosier State.

The redshirt freshman defensive tackle is one of only two players from Indiana on Ohio State's roster, compared to 78 native Ohioans. And Larimore said he and third-year sophomore cornerback Donald Washington get constant jabs from teammates, who pretend not to know how that pair figured out what to do with a ball that isn't round.

"I hear all the time how Ohio football is better than Indiana," Larimore said. "I don't know how much, technically, it is better. But I do have a pride that, for me and Donald, we have a little more to prove than a lot of guys."

They're certainly getting their point across this season.

Larimore, a Merrillville, Ind., product, has been a fixture in the defensive-line rotation, clogging the middle and eating up blockers. And Washington, an Indianapolis native, returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown against Kent State last week. He had a

48-yard fumble return against Texas last season.

"Football is football, no matter where it's at," Washington said.

"I guess Ohio is a bigger state,

so you have more athletes coming out of Ohio. I think that's the only difference.

"When you go from top to bottom, there's good football in both states."

Recruiting analyst Duane Long of Bucknuts.com estimates that Ohio produces about 75 players for BCS conference schools each year, compared to only about 10 in Indiana. But gems such as Larimore and Washington are changing the perception.

"High school competition matters, and that's why you don't see many players coming out of Indiana," Long said. "People say Division IV in Ohio is as good as anything they've got in their top division. But (colleges) get these guys in camp, look at them on film and decide to take a chance on them."

But the few blue-chip prospects that Indiana produces generally leave the state.

Larimore, who was one of the top-rated heavyweight wrestlers in the nation as a senior, visited Indiana but ultimately picked OSU over Michigan.

Washington was deciding between Illinois and Indiana when the Buckeyes enticed him away with an offer just before signing day.

"If Indiana is an elite program, if Purdue is an elite program, you're not going to get those guys to leave the state," Long said. "Why would they? Most Ohio players stay home. Some even go to (Mid-American Conference) schools rather than play at a Big Ten school out of state because they want to stay close to home.

"The best of the best are turning them down and leaving the state."

But Indiana is home to a top quarterback prospect in MarQueis Gray of Indianapolis Ben Davis. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound senior, who has been injured much of the season, is ranked as the second-best dual-threat QB in the nation by Rivals.com and is weighing offers from Oregon, Michigan State and Minnesota.

The Buckeyes have shown

some interest, but they have a higher-rated player in their sights: Terrelle Pryor of Jeannette, Pa. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound QB, who runs the 40 in 4.4, is the No. 1 player in the nation and is thought to be leaning toward OSU.

"Terrelle Pryor looks like a done deal for Ohio State," Long said. "If not, I think they'd go after MarQueis Gray a little harder.

"Pryor likes the (OSU) offense. He looks at what Troy Smith did in it, and he knows he can do the same thing. 'Shocked' is the word I would use if he goes anywhere else."

Top 100 football prospects, by state

Texas 14, Florida 13, California 11, Georgia 9, Alabama 7, Pennsylvania 6, Ohio 5, Virginia 4, Illinois 3, Michigan 3, Colorado 2, Mississippi 2, Nebraska 2, New Jersey 2, Oklahoma 2, South Carolina 2, Arizona 1, Arkansas 1, Kansas 1, Louisiana 1, Maryland 1, Minnesota 1, Missouri 1, North Carolina 1, Oregon 1, Tennessee 1, Utah 1, Washington 1, West Virginia 1.

Note: Ratings for seniors from Rivals.com

Ohio State's two-deep roster, by state

Ohio 28, Florida 3, Georgia 3, Indiana 2, Michigan 2, Louisiana 1, Minnesota 1, New Jersey 1, New York 1, Pennsylvania 1, Virginia 1

Note: First- and second-string position players