Wildcats can't slow down red-hot Hoosiers

Kurtis Rourke threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns to help No. 23 Indiana stay unbeaten with a 41-24 victory over Northwestern on Saturday in Evanston.

The Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) also had 149 yards on the ground with Justice Ellison (68 yards) and Ty Son Lawton (52 yards) each having a rushing TD. Elijah Sarratt had 135 yards on seven catches. The Hoosiers matched their best start to the season with the six wins, equaling the 1967 squad.

“It’s great to be 6-0,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. “I’m not going to say we needed a game like that, but we were certainly tested back and forth like we had not been tested this season.”

Jack Lausch had a bounce-back performance for Northwestern (2-3, 0-2), throwing for 243 yards and two scores. Bryce Kirtz and A.J. Henning were his favorite targets, combining for 195 yards on 16 catches.

“Very disappointed in the result,” Northwestern coach David Braun said. “There was some momentum on the offensive side of the ball. We weren’t able to get some critical stops on the defensive side of the ball.”

Following a slow start, both teams combined for five consecutive scoring drives to end the first half. Indiana took a 17-10 lead into the break, led by Rourke’s 196 yards. Miles Cross made a toe-tapping catch in the back of the end zone to break a 7-7 tie and put the Hoosiers in front for good.

Henning caught two touchdowns in the second half, including a two-yard screen pass that cut the deficit to 27-24. However, Northwestern’s defense could not stop Indiana from marching down the field for touchdowns on consecutive drives and the Hoosiers put the game away.

The Hoosiers have succeeded in the first half of the season despite fielding a mostly new team – much of the roster transferred to Indiana this past offseason.

“This is culture and mindset,” Cignetti said. “These are guys that came from championship programs that have now won 20 of their last 21 games, and a lot of other transfers that come from good programs, and the guys that stayed have that chip on their shoulders to improve. When you take over a program, the number one thing you’ve got to do is change the way people think… We have a blueprint. We have a way we play. We’ve got character. We’ve got some talent, and they’re playing like all of our other teams have played in those situations.”

IU offense rolls again

The nation’s No. 3 scoring offense entering Saturday broke the 40-point mark for the fifth time this season, putting up over 500 yards of total offense with no turnovers. Rourke enjoyed his third 300-yard performance in the last four games, while the Hoosiers averaged 4.9 yards per carry on the ground prior to the final drive. Indiana had the 11th-worst offense in 2023, scoring 22.2 points per outing.

Missed tackles plague Northwestern

The Wildcats held Indiana to a turnover on downs and punt to open the game, but Northwestern’s defense gave up seven straight scoring drives (five touchdown, two field goal) to essentially seal the game away. The main culprit was missed tackling, namely on a 52-yard catch-and-run by Ke-Shawn Williams, who escaped four Northwestern defenders. Indiana’s 41 points were the most allowed by the Wildcats in their five games played.

The takeaway

Indiana: The Hoosier defense struggled to stop Northwestern at times, but Indiana’s calling card has been its offense, which continued its dominant start to the season. Rourke excelled and was aided by a strong ground attack.

Northwestern: Despite the loss, the Wildcats can find optimism in giving 6-0 Indiana one of its toughest challenges yet. Lausch rebounded well from a disastrous game in Washington where he completed less than 30% of his passes, showcasing his abilities both through the air and on the ground.

Poll implications

No. 22 Louisville fell to SMU on Saturday morning, giving Indiana an opportunity to rise in the polls. However, No. 9 Missouri was upset by No. 25 Texas A&M, meaning the Aggies have a good chance of leap-frogging the Hoosiers.

Up Next

Indiana: The Hoosiers have a bye week before hosting Nebraska on Oct. 19.

Northwestern: The Wildcats have a short week and will head to College Park to take on Maryland next Friday.