photos by: Eric Thieszen/Excel H Sports/Thieszen Creations
With the national spotlight on the Indiana Hoosiers Football team the 21st Excel H Sports Ranked Hoosiers delivered with a 56-7 dominating win over the 23rd Excel H Sports Ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers before a sold-out Memorial Stadium crowd of 53, 802 Saturday Afternoon in Bloomington for a very happy Homecoming on the Indiana University Campus.
Indiana is 7-0 for just the second time in program history and first time since 1967. The Hoosiers are 4-0 in the Big Ten and it’s the first time since 2020 that Indiana has won 4 Big Ten Games in a season. it’s the 14th time in program history that the Hoosiers have won 4 Conference games in a season since joining the Big Ten in Football in 1952. Before the Big Ten Indiana had won 4 or more games in the Western Conference 3 Times before that. Indiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti is 126-35 in 14 seasons overall and remains the only coach at IU and in the FBS this season to remain unbeaten in his first season as Hoosier Head Coach. Indiana will look to tie the 1967 team for the best start in school history as they host the Washington Huskies at Noon next Saturday.
Nebraska drops to 5-2 and 2-2 in the Big Ten. The Cornhuskers were the only team that had not allowed a rushing touchdown all season and the Hoosiers scored five of them with two by Justice Ellison along with Ty Son Lawton Kaelon Black and Elijah Green as the Hoosiers ran the ball 33 times for 215 yards.
photos by: Eric Thieszen/Excel H Sports/Thieszen Creations
Freshman Quarterback Dylan Raiola went 28-44 234 yards and threw 3 interceptions. Indiana brought the pressure all game on Raiola sacking him twice and overthrowing his receivers. The Nebraska running game struggled as the Huskers ran the ball 29 times for 70 yards and 1 touchdown as Jacory Barney Jr from 7 yards out with 7:03 left in the second quarter. Thomas Fidone II led the Huskers with 6 catches for 91 yards. Nebraska finished with 304 yards of offense, 20 first downs, 7-16 on 3rd down conversions and 0-5 on fourth downs and 75 plays. The Huskers had the ball for 32 minutes and 8 seconds and went 1-4 in the red zone. Nebraska had 5 turnovers on offense with 2 fumbles adding to the three interceptions.
Kurtis Rourke was 17-21 for 189 yards with a touchdown and interception. Tayven Jackson came in the third quarter and was 7-8 for 91 yards and 2 touchdown passes. Justice Ellison threw an incomplete pass. Ellison had 9 carries for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns as the Indiana offense continues to score early and often and has not trailed in a game this season along with Army who beat East Carolina 42-28 to improve to 7-0 on the season just like Indiana.
photos by: Eric Thieszen/Excel H Sports/Thieszen Creations
The Hoosiers have scored 341 points and allowed 96 in 7 games. Indiana is averaging 48.7 points on offense and giving up 13.7 points on defense. Indiana had 24 first downs, 5-9 on third downs and 1-2 on fourth down conversions. Indiana ran 63 plays and went 7-7 in the red zone. The Hoosiers controlled the ball for 27 minutes and 52 seconds. The Hoosiers have scored over 40 points in six straight games and continue to change the narrative of past Hoosier Football performances.
Indiana took the ball first and scored led 7-0 after Justice Ellison’s first touchdown run with 9:35 left in the first quarter. Indiana is the only team in the FBS not to allow their opponents to score in the first quarter the entire season. Rourke was sacked once on the day threw his only touchdown pass on a 7-yard play to Myles Price with 13:37 left in the second quarter to go up 14-0.
photos by: Eric Thieszen/Excel H Sports/Thieszen Creations
After Nebraska scored to make it 14-7 with 7:40 left in the second quarter. The Hoosiers took control scoring two rushing touchdowns go up 28-7 heading into the locker room. Indiana added four more touchdowns 2 in each quarter as the Hoosiers had 495 yards of offense with a balanced attack of 280 passing yards and 215 rushing yards.
Indiana beat Nebraska 54-14 in 1945, and this was the largest margin of victory for the Hoosiers since that 40-point win over Nebraska in 1945. Indiana leads the series 11-9-3 and now tied 3-3-1 in games played in Bloomington. Indiana ties the largest margin of victory ever against a Big Ten Opponent when the Hoosiers won 49-0 over Minnesota in 1945. Both Indiana and Nebraska were coming off bye weeks and for Indiana the week of rest just refueled the Hoosiers for the stretch run with five more Big Ten Games left and more national attention focused what is becoming one of the biggest turnarounds in College Football.
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