Road To 10-0: Indiana Shrugs Off Rourke Absence To Knock Off Washington

Hoosiers On SI looks back game-by-game at the path Indiana football took to create a dream season. How did this game inform what we know now that we didn't know then?

Indiana's Tayven Jackson (2) passes during the Indiana versus Washington football game at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 26, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana’s football team just completed its second bye week of the season. It wasn’t long ago that bye weeks were looked at as respites from gridiron misery for the Hoosiers, but Curt Cignetti’s 2024 team has flipped the script.

Indiana has had an unprecedented season. The 10-0 record amassed by the Hoosiers has never been achieved in program history. With the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff in place in just the nick of time to give a historic season its possible proper reward, a world of possibilities is in front of Indiana in a way no one would have dreamed of in August.

The bye week provides an opportunity to reflect on what has been with just two regular season games left, at No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday and at home against Purdue Nov. 30. Hoosiers On SI will take a look at each game and put into context how each fits into the puzzle of what has been a perfect season.

We’ll continue with Indiana’s home game against Washington on Oct. 26.

Narrative Entering The Game – There was plenty on the minds of Indiana – both fun and concerning.

With Indiana having built a 7-0 record, ESPN College GameDay decided the time was right to have its studio show in Bloomington. College GameDay had been to Indiana once before, but it was on a Thursday night and didn’t come with all of the usual trimmings. This time? Indiana would get the full course.

College GameDay set itself up just south of Memorial Stadium, and the show was a Saturday morning party for enthusiastic Indiana students and fans. An emotional part of College GameDay’s visit was the return of former Indiana coach Lee Corso. Indiana’s football coach from 1973-82 was given a chance to revisit his former school and former players.

Kyle Schwarber and Lee Corso pick Indiana to win on College Gameday before the start of the Indiana versus Washington football game at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 26, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

College GameDay brought a circus atmosphere to Bloomington, but there were sizable concerns. It was clear that quarterback Kurtis Rourke would not play against Washington after suffering a thumb injury against Nebraska in the previous game. How would Indiana’s high-powered attack function with Tayven Jackson in charge of the offense?

The Result – Washington made life tough on Indiana, coming out in a zone defense the Hoosiers didn’t anticipate. It took time for Indiana’s offense to adjust, but the Hoosiers’ defense made up for it. A 67-yard interception return by D’Angelo Ponds gave the Hoosiers an early lift and lead.

The running of Justice Ellison reaped rewards in the second half as Indiana touchdowns with 5:03 left in the third quarter and 8:55 left in the final period were enough for a 31-17 victory over the Huskies.

Player Fans Learned To Love – CB D’Angelo Ponds: The James Madison transfer was expected to be one of Indiana’s best players coming into the season. He was a 2023 semifinalist for the Freshman Of The Year award. He was a Freshman All-American and second-team All-Sun Belt selection.

Ponds had been effective in Indiana’s first seven games, but he hadn’t had an interception breakout game until Washington came to Bloomington.

Relive both of D'Angelo Ponds' highlight INTs 👇#B1GFootball x @IndianaFootball pic.twitter.com/iFvXx6cjZO

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 28, 2024

His 76-yard interception return came on a well-read screen pass by Washington. Tyrique Tucker tipped the ball, and a well-positioned Ponds pounced for an easy score. A later interception was a spectacular juggling, leaping grab that stopped a Huskies drive near midfield in the second quarter. On a day when Indiana needed its defense to help the attack, Ponds was there to help.

Trend That Would Stick – The Indiana Offense Could Zig When Expected To Zag: All season long, Indiana had kept its running backs fresh by rotating Ellison, Ty Son Lawton and Kaelon Black. However, Curt Cignetti and his offensive staff demonstrated they could go off tendency if need be.

Against Washington’s solid defense, Lawton was having an off-day and Black only had three carries. With Indiana wanting to rely on its running game with Jackson at quarterback, Ellison became the dominant back.

The Wake Forest transfer had 29 carries for 123 yards and a touchdown. No Indiana back had carried the ball more than 19 times in any previous 2024 game.

The flexibility Indiana showed in its attack plan makes the Hoosiers that much harder to scheme for opposing defensive coordinators.

Any Postgame Worries? – Against the first truly good defense the Hoosiers had faced, the offensive numbers were down. Indiana’s 312 yards of total offense was a season-low at the time.

Jackson played fine in Rourke’s absence – his only blemish was an early third quarter interception – but the Hoosiers missed the presence and passing touch of Rourke. Curt Cignetti had indicated that Rourke’s absence would be brief. Indiana fans hoped it would be true.

Narrative Exiting The Game – It was an October where the perception of Indiana football was transformed. At the start of the month, there was potential for a special season, but the hard evidence wasn’t there yet. By month's end? The Hoosiers were unbeaten at 8-0 and on-track to possibly have the finest season in their history. November would be tougher with games against Michigan State, Michigan and Ohio State, but the Hoosiers were demonstrating that they were up to any task.

Pro Football Focus stars (top 5 scoring players in each unit, 10 plays or more)  – Offense: RB Justice Ellison (73.4), LG Drew Evans (70.9), QB Tayven Jackson (69.5), RB Ty Son Lawton (65.8), WR Omar Cooper Jr. (64.6); Defense: CB D’Angelo Ponds (92.7), DE Mikail Kamara (82.7), DT James Carpenter (73.2), DT CJ West (72.2), DT Tyrique Tucker (68.9).

Next game – Indiana heads north to take on Michigan State at Spartan Stadium on Nov. 2.

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