#14 Excel H Sports Ranked Hoosiers steamroll Sparty to start 9-0 for the first time ever.

#14 Excel H Sports Ranked Hoosiers steamroll Sparty to start 9-0 for the first time ever.

By Nick Jenkinson/Excel H Sports

The #14 Excel H Sports Ranked Indiana Hoosiers trailed 10-0 at the end of the first quarter and they responded by scoring 47 points in the final three quarters to steamroll the Michigan State Spartans 47-10 Saturday Afternoon at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. Indiana is 9-0 for the first time in program History and 6-0 in the Big Ten. This is the third time in the 137 year history of the team that the Hoosiers have won nine games in a season. 1945 team finished 9-0-1 and won the outright Big Ten Championship. The 1967 team finished 9-1 and split the Big Ten Championship and lost in the Rose Bowl to USC. The 2024 Hoosiers will look to win 10 games for the first time ever when they host Michigan Next Saturday at a Sold-Out Memorial Stadium. Curt Cignetti is 9-0 as the Hoosier Head Coach and James Sheldon in finished 8–1-1 in his first season and Cignetti stands alone as the Only IU Coach to start 9-0 in his first season and have the most wins.

The Spartans scored with 9:58 left in the first quarter when Jonathan Kim hit a 47 yard field goal as Indiana gave up a first quarter score for the first time all season and trailed. Michigan State put the Hoosiers on their heels with 2:39 left in the first quarter when Aidan Chiles threw a 18 Yard touchdown pass to Nick Marsh to make 10-0 and Hoosiers were facing adversity for the first time all season and how would they respond.

Kurtis Rourke who missed the Washington game with a thumb injury started and after a tough first quarter found his groove and found Zach Horton for a 17 yard touchdown pass just 47 seconds into the second quarter as the Hoosiers trailed by 3. Ty Son Lawton scores on a 1 yard touchdown run with 6:22 left in the second quarter and the Hoosiers had the lead 14-10. Rourke found Elijah Sarratt on a 4 yard score with 2:10 left before the half to give the Hoosiers a 21-10 lead. Indiana’s Defense responded with two Amare Farrell Interceptions in the Second Quarter as the went 10 points down after the first quarter to 11 points up at halftime.

In the second half Indiana did not let off the gas pedal as Rourke threw 2 more touchdown passes to Myles Price and Elijah Sarratt along with a Omar Cooper Jr touchdown run and a Nicolas Radicic 29 yard field goal. Indiana brings home the Old Brass Spittoon and outscored the Spartans 47-0 in the final three quarters. Rourke finished 19-29 for 263 yards with 4 touchdown passes and no picks and offensive line did it’s job and did not give up a sack and the offense had no turnovers. 7 Hoosiers carried the ball for a combined 122 yards on 32 carries and 2 touchdowns. Ke’Shawn Williams led the Indiana Receivers with 6 catches for 86 yards.

Michigan State is 4-5 overall and 2-4 in the Big Ten. Aidan Chiles finished 16-24 for 193 yards with a touchdown and 2 Interceptions and was knocked out of the game in the second half due to injury. Tommy Schuster finished 4-8 for 36 yards passing. The Spartans running game finished with negative 36 yards rushing on 32 carries. The Hoosiers outgained the Spartans 385-193.

Indiana has won every game by double digits and they are one of two teams in FBS along with Army that has accomplished that feat. Army beat Air Force 20-3 and is now the only team that has scored first, won by double digits and never trailed this season. For Indiana the turnaround to what has been the best start in School History is nothing short of remarkable and with three regular season games left along with a possible Big Ten Conference Championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff the record book will continue to be rewritten.