Three Games Indiana Needs to Win in 2023 to Reach Bowl Eligibility
Indiana football reached a bowl game in back-to-back seasons under coach Tom Allen in 2019 and 2020, but have failed to hit that same mark in the past two seasons, faltering to 2-10 and 4-8 records.
In the upcoming 2023 college football season, the Hoosiers are currently projected to go 3-9, standing as favorites against Indiana State, Akron and Rutgers.
In order for Allen and the Hoosiers to turn things around and play in that coveted 13th game in 2023, here are the three games where they need to pull an upset.
Michigan State
Of the nine games Indiana is predicted to lose, this one seems the most flimsy.
Michigan State's 2022 season under coach Mel Tucker wasn't much better than the Hoosiers', as the Spartans stumbled to a 5-7 record behind inconsistent quarterback play, a porous defense and a very noticeable lack of Kenneth Walker III, who carried the team during its 11-2 season in 2021.
Simply put, this is a game the Indiana football team is capable of winning because they just did it not too long ago, escaping from East Lansing with a 39-31 win in double-overtime and completing a 17-point, second-half comeback.
For a Hoosiers' squad that has only won six games in two calendar years, confidence and knowing that they can beat a team goes along way, and that's exactly what they have in Michigan State, who they beat in the penultimate game of the season to snap a seven-game losing streak.
Michigan State will be breaking in a new quarterback next year following the transfer of two-year starter to Payton Thorne, with Noah Kim and Katin Houser being the most likely candidates to replace him.
The Hoosiers return two talented players in the secondary in Noah Pierre and Josh Sanguinetti, and the two veteran defensive backs should be capable of disrupting a first-year starter at quarterback making their first start in Memorial Stadium.
Indiana once again plays Michigan State in the second-to-last game of the regular season, with this one being the Senior Day showdown in Bloomington on Nov. 18.
Armed with the motivation of sending seniors out on the right note, and the desire to retain the the Old Brass Spittoon for another year, IU has a great opportunity to upset a Michigan State team that really isn't all that much better than them in 2023.
Purdue
From the Spitoon to the Old Oaken Bucket, rivalry trophy games might just be the key for Indiana in 2023.
The Boilermakers are coming off one of their most successful runs in recent memory, finishing the 2021 season with a 9-4 record, then winning the Big Ten West in 2022 for the first time in program history.
However, 2023 is poised to be a regrouping year for Purdue football. Head coach Jeff Brohm departed for his alma mater in Louisville following the Big Ten championship game last year, and former Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters is entering his first year as a head coach in West Lafayette.
Purdue also lose quarterback Aidan O'Connell, who was selected in fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders after four years with the Boilermakers. O'Connell left as the program's sixth all-time leading passer with 9,219 career passing yards.
There is optimism for Purdue's 2023 season with the return of walk-on turned breakout star running back Devin Mockobee, who rushed for 968 yards last season on just 195 total carries, averaging out to a blistering 5.0 yards per attempt.
Still, Purdue already skated by with a number of close wins in 2022 and was in serious trouble in Bloomington during last year's game before Dexter Williams II went down with a right knee injury in the first quarter as Indiana led 7-3.
Indiana will be on the road when facing Purdue at season's end in 2023, but this is a Boilermakers team that should be taking a major step back this year, and one Indiana should be eager to beat in the final game of the season if it means securing bowl eligibility.
Illinois
Once again, it's a road game Indiana will need to win, and once again, it's a late-season matchup, as the Hoosiers will make the road trip down to Urbana-Champaign on Nov. 11.
Indiana won last year's season-opening match in Bloomington, 23-20, sparked by a game-winning drive from quarterback Connor Bazelak and assisted by a controversial officiating decision that robbed Illinois of a touchdown in the first half.
Illinois went on to have a much more successful season than Indiana, finishing 8-5 and climbing as high as No. 14 in the polls. However, Bret Bielema's team will be in need of major replacements in 2023.
Illinois lost the backbone of its sterling defense with the departures of defensive backs Devon Witherspoon and Sydney Brown, who were selected with the No. 5 and No. 66 overall picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, respectively.
Additionally, the Illini backfield will have new faces, as quarterback Tommy DeVito and running back Chase Brown have also migrated to the NFL.
Illinois is going to be a team relying on many unproven talents in 2023, and already was defeated by Indiana last year due in large part to its lack of firepower on the offensive side of the ball.
The Hoosiers should have the edge in experience, and similar to their matchup with Michigan State, they'll have the crucial confidence they need to pull the upset having already beaten the Fighting Illini the year prior.
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