Indiana Football Continues To Roll With 52-14 Win Over Charlotte

Coming off a Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week nod against UCLA, quarterback Kurtis Rourke led another dominant performance for the Indiana offense, which totaled 510 yards in a blowout win over Charlotte.

Indiana's Justice Ellison (6) and Kurtis Rourke (9) celebrate a touchdown against Charlotte. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana football has made it look easy through four weeks.

It cruised to a win in Week 1, then set program records with 701 total yards and 71 points scored in Week 2. After Indiana’s win at UCLA last week, quarterback Kurtis Rourke was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week.

And in a 52-14 win over Charlotte on Saturday at Memorial Stadium, Rourke and the Hoosiers’ offense showed no signs of slowing down. 

Indiana gained 510 total yards of offense, and Rourke finished the day having completed 16 of 20 passes for 258 yards, two total touchdowns and no turnovers – without taking a snap in the fourth quarter. The run game was efficient, too, generating 222 yards on 41 carries, good for 5.4 yards per attempt.

“I don’t want to say it’s been easy, but almost it’s felt like it’s been easy to kind of move the ball up and down the field,” wide receiver Myles Price said. “So I’m really happy about that. Everybody’s doing their job. … It feels good. I don’t know what else to say. It feels wonderful, you know.

With this win, Curt Cignetti is the first coach in Indiana football history to start his first season with a 4-0 record. It’s also Indiana’s first 4-0 start since 2020 and just one of four 4-0 starts since 1990. Through four games, Indiana has scored 202 points and gained 2,055 yards.

“Yeah, I think it’s a pretty decent start,” Cignetti said.

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti talks with wide receiver Andison Coby (0). / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Among the reasons for Indiana’s lethal offense through four games is its depth. Five running backs totaled between four and nine carries, and three rushed for 35-plus yards. Ellison led the group with 58 yards, and Lawton scored two touchdowns.

There’s a similar dynamic in the wide receivers room. Seven Hoosiers caught passes on Saturday, including four with three or more catches and four with 46-plus yards. Price led the Hoosiers with 77 yards, while Cross had a team-high five receptions.

After a bit of a shaky first half, Indiana’s defense pitched a shutout in the second half. Linebacker Aiden Fisher led Indiana with eight tackles, followed by defensive backs Shawn Asbury II and Amare Ferrell with seven apiece. Indiana totaled eight tackles for loss, spread across nine defenders.

“I think there’s a lot of guys from last year’s team that have really bought in,” Cignetti said. “We have great unity and character on this football team.”

To begin the game, Indiana’s defense forced a Charlotte three and out, and its offense quickly got to work. Rourke was 9 for 9 for 128 yards on third down against UCLA, and he continued to be sharp in critical moments against Charlotte. His 12-yard completion to Miles Cross converted 3rd and 8 on Indiana’s first possession, setting up a Ty Son Lawton rushing touchdown.

Sophomore Jamari Sharpe got the start at cornerback on Saturday in place of James Madison transfer D’Angelo Ponds, who was suspended for the first half against Charlotte after being ejected for a targeting penalty against UCLA. Sharpe stepped up early with a pass breakup on the Hoosiers’ second defensive possession.

Rourke led the Hoosiers down the field with ease on the following drive, but it stalled when Rourke overthrew Elijah Sarratt in the end zone on third down. Indiana settled for a 27-yard field goal from Nicolas Radicic and took a 10-0 lead.

Indiana's Kaelon Black (8) leaps against Charlotte football at Memorial Stadium. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indiana’s defense had been sturdy through three weeks, but it had its most vulnerable half of the season in the first 30 minutes against Charlotte. The 49ers put together back-to-back touchdown drives of 75 yards at the end of the first quarter and start of the second.

During those drives, Charlotte had six plays of 12-plus yards. It went 5 for 8 on third down in the first half. Running back C.J. Stokes put the 49ers on the board with a 13-yard touchdown run, and quarterback Trexler Ivey hit Isaiah Myers over the middle for a 25-yard touchdown completion. 

Indiana allowed just 23 total points through three games – and no more than 13 points in any game – but it allowed 14 Charlotte points by the 5:19 mark of the second quarter. Despite those defensive lapses, Indiana’s offense ensured Saturday’s game wouldn’t be close.

To end the first half, Rourke put together three touchdown drives in the second quarter, going 75 yards twice and 50 yards once. Rourke displayed downfield passing prowess with a 37-yard completion to Rice and a 29-yard, back-shoulder throw to Elijah Sarratt. Five plays later, Justice Ellison made Charlotte pay a pass interference penalty that extended the series, trudging ahead for a two-yard touchdown.

Indiana was without backup tight end James Bomba for a second straight week, so redshirt freshman Sam West stepped up. Rourke found West down the sideline for a 37-yard gain, and the quarterback showed off his mobility with a 12-yard touchdown run up the middle, extending Indiana’s lead to 24-14.

“It’s not something I do often,” Rourke said. “But I felt like I needed to run and escape a couple times. But yeah, I certainly need to work on some aspects, but I’m glad I can do it when I need to.”

After a Charlotte three and out, the Hoosiers gained even more breathing room with a 19-yard completion from Rourke to Ke’Shawn Williams, his third touchdown of the season. Indiana began that possession at midfield with 1:56 on the clock, and Rourke led a well-executed two-minute drill to put the Hoosiers ahead 31-14 at halftime.

Charlotte’s last-ditch effort at a comeback came with 7:04 left in the third quarter, trailing 38-14 after a second Lawton touchdown. The 49ers went for it on fourth and one at the Indiana 27-yard line, but a swarm of Hoosiers burst through for a three-yard loss. 

Linebacker Jailin Walker made the first hit, then Shawn Asbury, Josh Sanguinetti and Lanell Carr Jr. cleaned it up.

Indiana's Aiden Fisher (4) and Mikail Kamara (6) wrap up Charlotte's Bryce Kennon (86) at Memorial Stadium. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indiana’s run game poured it on thereafter, putting the Hoosiers on top 52-14 with a 21-yard touchdown from Kaelon Black and a 13-yard score by Elijah Green, who has scored in each game this season.

“It’s definitely been great on our bodies,” Black said. “Coach Cig loves to rotate his running backs, and that definitely has an impact on us and allows us to stay good and fresh.”

Quarterback Tayven Jackson replaced Rourke in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. He finished the game having completed 2 of 7 passes for 30 yards, no touchdowns and no turnovers. 

Following a 4-0 start against three nonconference foes and UCLA, it’s Big Ten play the rest of the way for Indiana. That begins next Saturday, when the Hoosiers welcome Maryland (3-1) to Memorial Stadium for a Noon ET kickoff on Big Ten Network.

For Cignetti moving forward, it’s all about avoiding complacency.

“I think the whole key right now is maintaining our focus,” Cignetti said. "We can't have any distractions and we got to stay focused, humble and hungry.

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