It’s gonna take a lot to upset Indiana on Saturday. #GoBlue
Michigan football has lost to Indiana just once since 1987, and that was in the COVID year when the Hoosiers had Michael Penix at the helm and the Wolverines were struggling mightily. But IU is looking for another win on Saturday, but for the first time in a generation, being the favorite.
It’s not that surprising, honestly, given how Indiana has beaten opponents. The Hoosiers have been as dominant as Michigan’s 2023 national championship team, and if IU had a different school name, it would likely be ranked even higher than No. 8 as it currently is in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Thus, the way ESPN sees it, there’s not much of a chance that the Wolverines have, and it could be bad for the maize and blue on Saturday.
The Hoosiers are 14-point favorites at home against Michigan. While this spread might seem generous at first glance, a closer look at statistics and recent performances suggests that Indiana is primed to not only win but cover this spread comfortably.
One of the keys to Indiana’s success has been their high-octane offense, led by quarterback Kurtis Rourke. (…)
Meanwhile, Michigan’s offense has been faltering all season. The Wolverines are a dismal 104th nationally in scoring and are even worse passing (128th). (…)
It’s very plausible that Indiana could score 40-plus points while Michigan manages around 14, pushing the total over 49 points.
As vaunted as the Indiana offense is, this will likely be the best defense that the Hoosiers have seen. Michigan is ranked No. 12 defensively, according to PFF. And per the same metrics, the best defenses that the Hoosiers have faced thus far are FIU (No. 30) and Washington (No. 33) — both of whom held IU to 31 points.
But, given Michigan’s offense, even if the defense holds Kurtis Rourke and company to 31 points, it’s unclear that the Wolverines can take advantage. After all, the IU defense is rated No. 3 according to PFF>
Michigan football got back onto the winning side of the ledger this past week, but the next few weeks promise to be daunting.
Not only do the Wolverines face No. 1 Oregon this week, but Indiana — a usual pushover — is ranked No. 13 going into Week 10. The Wolverines have only lost to the Hoosiers once since 1986: in the COVID-19 year, 2020, in Bloomington. But right now Curt Cignetti has his team playing with a ton of confidence.
We now know the Nov. 9 game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. EST at Memorial Stadium. It will be broadcast on CBS.
Michigan-Indiana next Saturday, Nov. 9: 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff, CBS.
Regardless of what happens against Oregon, Michigan needs to beat the Hoosiers to bolster the resume after dropping games to unranked Washington and ranked Illinois. There’s little room for error because the remaining games are against Northwestern and Ohio State.
The Huskers concluded the regular season 6-10-1 and 3-7-1 in conference play.
On Sunday afternoon, the Nebraska soccer team concluded its 2024 season at home against the Indiana Hoosiers. The Huskers closed the season on a high note, taking down the Hoosiers 3-1.
Both teams battled it out in the match. Nebraska fired 12 shots, six on goal, while Indiana delivered 13 shots, seven on goal. Despite the Hoosiers outshooting the Huskers, Nebraska’s defense stood its ground.
The Huskers built a 2-0 lead on Indiana before giving up a goal with over 25 minutes remaining. But Nebraska put the match away over ten minutes later.
Sami Hauk finished 6-of-7 in shots faced, bringing her career total to 238, holding her in fourth in school history and one shy of tying for third.
Sarah Weber led Nebraska in the win, scoring twice off seven shots. Weber’s goals move her career total to 43, placing her in seventh in school history. She also moved to third in school history with 337 total shots and sixth in shots on goal with 31.
Sadie Waite also scored her second goal of the season for Nebraska off her lone shot of the match.
The Huskers concluded the regular season 6-10-1 and 3-7-1 in conference play.
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Nick Saban, Rece Davis, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, and Pat McAfee shone in a town that had not seen College Gameday since 2017, and for only the second time ever.
The crew pulled out everything from the first minute, including recognizing Corso and the 1979 Holiday Bowl team. In that game, the Hoosiers (7-4) upset the No. 9 BYU Cougars 38-37 on a 62-yard punt return touchdown and blocked field goal attempt with seven seconds left.
Indiana would not go to another bowl game until 1986.
Corso and his former players and coaches got a segment in the first 30 minutes of College Gameday, as well as plenty of shine live on set. Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson was there to announce that October 26, 2024 would be ‘Lee Corso Day.’
It was a great pre-game show that showcased the Hoosiers and their history-making season. Let’s look and hear the sights and sounds from ESPN College Gameday with the Hoosiers.
The line at 7 p.m. in Bloomington to get into College GameDay tomorrow.
Former Indiana coach Lee Corso is getting all the tributes at @CollegeGameDay in Bloomington, including this one from current coach Curt Cignetti about a letter Corso sent his family while Cignetti was in high school and his dad was battling cancer. pic.twitter.com/FU4A4dE14j
I was born here in Bloomington. My dad got 3 degrees from IU. I earned my degree from IU. I’ve lived here for the majority of my life. I’ll readily admit my own B-town bias, but gotdamn, this town & campus look absolutely freaking gorgeous as viewed thru the College Gameday lens.
ESPN College GameDay picks for Indiana football vs. Washington:
– Desmond Howard: Washington
– Kirk Herbstreit: Washington
– Pat McAfee: Indiana
– Nick Saban: Indiana
– Lee Corso: Indiana
Lee Corso’s headgear pick is his Holiday Bowl hat from 1979 when Indiana defeated BYU for their first-ever bowl win in school history. pic.twitter.com/m95MGK3lmm
Nebraska-Indiana brought in millions of viewers last weekend
According to new rankings from On3, the Nebraska-Indiana gamewas one of the most-watched games of last weekend. According to Pete Nakos, 3.2 million people viewed the game itself.
Indiana rolled by Nebraska 56-7. The Hoosiers took control for most of the game and stifled the Huskers on both sides of the football. Indiana improved its season record to 7-0, while Nebraska dropped to 5-2.
Indiana’s 49-point margin of victory was their biggest in conference play since 1945. The Hoosiers have yet to trail a game this season. In addition, they have fired off seven consecutive wins for the first time since 1967.
In the meantime, Nebraska will try to lick its wounds as it prepares to take on Ohio State this Saturday. The Huskers are still looking for that elusive sixth win to get back to a bowl game.
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Rourke continued to play despite his thumb injury and was successful against the Huskers’ defense. He did not play in the second half of the game but recorded 189 yards, a touchdown, and an interception on the day.
The injury news ends Rourke’s season. He was one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten, throwing for 1,941 yards, 15 touchdowns, and three interceptions. His 91.8 quarterback rating was second in the conference. He recorded a 162.7 rating against the Huskers on Saturday.
It will be interesting to see when he returns to action this season. He was undoubtedly an offensive catalyst for an undefeated Hoosiers team looking to take the next step in its development as a program. Now, he will be on the mend, at least for a little while.
Official injury update from Indiana: Redshirt senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke will be out an indefinite period of time with a thumb injury but is expected to return in 2024.
The Indiana Hoosiers have never hosted College GameDay, giving the crew a litany of celebrities to choose from as guest picker.
The ESPN “College GameDay” crew heads to Bloomington, Indiana, for the first time in program history in Week 9. The undefeated Indiana Hoosiers will play host to the Washington Huskies on Saturday.
It will be a return to his former school for Lee Corso, who coached at Indiana for nine seasons (1973-1982) and led the team to a Holiday Bowl victory in 1979.
Corso would make an excellent celebrity guest picker if he wasn’t already a core member of the GameDay crew, but that leaves the ESPN producers a litany of other Indiana alumni and fans to choose from for Saturday’s show.
Before we look at who could be selected, let’s eliminate a few unlikely options, due to potential scheduling conflicts.
Recent men’s basketball All-American Trayce Jackson-Davis is with the Golden State Warriors, who have a preseason game in Utah on Oct. 25 and a home game on Oct. 27. Squeezing a trip to Bloomington on the off day is possible, but rather unlikely as he prepares for his second NBA season.
Indiana basketball coach Mike Woodson is an unlikely pick with the Hoosiers facing the Tennessee Volunteers in a charity exhibition game on Sunday in Knoxville.
Here are some former Indiana athletes who could be on the set on Saturday in Bloomington:
Syndication: Detroit Free Press
Former Players
Indiana doesn’t have a bunch of iconic football alumni, but former quarterback Antwaan Randle El is a name to keep an eye on. Randle El was an elite running quarterback while with the Hoosiers and parlayed that into a productive NFL career as a wide receiver and return specialist.
He is the wide receivers coach for the Detroit Lions, who are at home the Sunday after GameDay. A quick trip from Detroit to Bloomington and back is certainly doable and would put one of the Hoosiers most notable football alumni back in the public eye.
Our next four options are all from Indiana’s most notable sport: men’s basketball.
First we have Eric Gordon, who is with the Philadelphia 76ers. Philadelphia plays in Toronto on Oct. 25 and on Sunday, Oct. 27 … in Indiana. That makes a quick stop in Bloomington a possibility for the former NBA Sixth Man of the Year and 2008 Big Ten Rookie of the Year.
Next is Victor Oladipo, who enjoyed a lengthy NBA career after earning an All-America nod as a junior at Indiana in 2012-13. Oladipo works for ESPN as an analyst, which might take him out of the running, but he is one of the most recognizable modern Indiana alumni.
Isiah Thomas might be the most obvious choice. The NBA Hall of Famer is widely considered one of the greatest point guards the game has seen. He led Indiana to a national championship en route to All-American honors in 1981. As an analyst for NBA TV, Thomas is familiar with the TV game and would make a great celebrity guest picker.
Steve Alford is another former Indiana point guard who led the team to a national championship while earning All-American honors. Alford is the head coach of the Nevada Wolfpack, and with the hoops season about to begin he may not have the time to step away for a day. But, he’d be a fun and engaging celebrity for the show if given the opportunity.
Finally, we turn to the diamond to discuss Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber. Schwarber is a two-time MLB All-Star whose team was recently eliminated from the playoffs. He has a goofy personality and would be a blast to watch next to Pat McAfee, if he were willing to return to Bloomington as the guest picker.
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Other Alumni
ESPN play-by-play announcer Joe Buck attended Indiana. While he did not graduate, his extensive experience behind the mic could make him a fun choice as celebrity guest picker – allowing him to let loose a little in a different setting than he typically finds himself.
“Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul” may be off the air, but actor Jonathan Banks is still a recognizable figure for playing the character Mike Ehrmantraut in both shows. An Indiana alumni, seeing Banks outside of his iconic character could be a fun change of pace for the GameDay crew.
We saw an actress picked already this season when Kaitlin Olson was in town for the Oregon–Ohio State game, but perhaps GameDay will do it once more with Sarah Clarke. Clarke is known for her roles on “24,” and “Covert Affairs,” as well as playing Bella Swan’s mother in the “Twilight” movies.
The Indiana Hoosiers will host ESPN College GameDay for the first time in Week 9, a return to his old home for Lee Corso.
ESPN College GameDay heads to Bloomington for the first time in program history in Week 9 for a Big Ten matchup between the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers and the Washington Huskies, last year’s national championship runner-ups.
Lee Corso, the longtime GameDay broadcaster who returned this past weekend after a health related absence, will finally return home.
Corso coached at Indiana from 1973-1982, going 41-68-2 as head coach which included a No. 19 ranking in the AP Poll and a Holiday Bowl victory both in 1979.
The Hoosiers are 7-0 under new head coach Curt Cignetti, who has lit a fire under this program after coming over from James Madison. The Hoosiers blasted Nebraska on Sunday, winning 56-7 over a team that was 5-1 coming into the contest.
At this point Indiana is on the periphery of the College Football Playoff picture, with some concerned the team’s strength of schedule is partly responsible for the team’s hot start. Still, Indiana hasn’t been skating by but rather blowing teams out, with the closest margin of victory coming against Maryland – a game the Hoosiers won 42-28.
Washington has been average so far this season, sitting at 4-3 and 2-2 in Big Ten play, but Indiana may have to get past the Huskies without starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke – who exited Saturday’s game against the Cornhuskers with an injury.
The game kicks off at 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, October 26th on the Big Ten Network.
Could we get an Oregon vs. Indiana Big Ten championship game? Updated Big Ten football standings after Week 8.
While Penn State was off this past week, the Nittany Lions remained one of three undefeated teams in Big Ten play this fall. But Penn State is now, technically, looking up in the updated Big Ten conference standings following the results of Week 8. Indiana and Oregon remained undefeated this season and improved to 4-0 in Big Ten play with blowout wins this weekend. Penn State will not face either team in the regular season, so watching what they do is critical if Penn State can continue to take care of its own schedule the rest of the way. Penn State is gearing up for a challenging three-game stretch beginning with this week’s road trip to Wisconsin.
Wisconsin is seemingly surging at a good time too with another dominant performance on the scoreboard against its opponent. Wisconsin has outscored its last three opponents by a combined score of 117-16 (Rutgers, Northwestern, and Purdue). Of course, the Badgers will also be facing their biggest challenge since playing Alabama and USC in back-to-back weeks in September.
Here is a look at the updated Big Ten football standings at the conclusion of Week 8.
B1G W
B1G L
W
L
Indiana
4
0
7
0
Oregon
4
0
7
0
Penn State
3
0
6
0
Illinois
3
1
6
1
Wisconsin
3
1
5
2
Ohio State
2
1
5
1
Iowa
2
2
4
3
Washington
2
2
4
3
Michigan
2
2
4
3
Michigan State
2
2
4
3
Nebraska
2
2
5
2
Minnesota
2
2
4
3
Northwestern
1
3
3
4
Maryland
1
3
4
3
Rutgers
1
3
4
3
USC
1
4
3
4
UCLA
1
4
2
5
Purdue
0
4
1
6
Indiana, Oregon, Penn State, and Illinois are all officially bowl-eligible. No team in the Big Ten is ineligible for postseason play, but Purdue is now sitting on six losses this season, putting them on the brink of being the first Big Ten to be ruled ineligible for a bowl game this season.
Matt Rhule did not expect his team to lose to Indiana.
Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule was shocked by his team’s 56-7 loss to Indiana on Saturday. He admitted as much in his postgame press conference.
Indiana had their way with Nebraska on both sides of the football. The Hoosiers accumulated 495 yards of total offense and 215 yards on the ground. They averaged a staggering 7.9 yards per play and recorded 24 first downs in total. They were also able to maximize their drives, as they did not kick a field goal throughout the entire game.
“I’ll be honest with you. I didn’t see this coming. I thought we were gonna play great.”
Nebraska will get no rest following this game as they prepare to take on a top-ten team in the Ohio State Buckeyes. Adjustments will have to be made between now and then, and things need to be fixed quickly in order to succeed.
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