And just like that, Indiana is two thirds of the way to bowl eligibility with four wins.
Over the course of those four games, Indiana’s played well enough to make it a matter of which bowl game it will be in, rather than a question of if there will be a bowl game at all. Today’s 52-14 win was probably its least dominant performance, though.
14 points is the most the Hoosiers have allowed against any team this year, something Curt Cignetti is sure to focus on this week in practice. A Charlotte 49ers team with a third string quarterback should not have been able to score like it did in the second quarter today.
Still, the game was never really in doubt because Kurtis Rourke and the offense could not be stopped today. By the time the defense settled in, it was time to bring in the back-ups.
At the end of the day, Indiana played well enough to cover the lofty 28.5 point spread and then some in another comfortable win. The subs got in on both sides of the ball, with the offensive backups scoring and the defense forcing a turnover.
For the first time all year though, Indiana showed some vulnerability. Charlotte was able to move the ball well on offense in the first half, scoring 14 points and on pace to put up what would have been a season-high 28 points.
With this slightly sloppy performance, we learned two things: first, that Indiana’s defense will not have to be perfect. The offense is going to put up a lot of points this year and allow the defense to find itself over the course of the season, should the defensive struggles continue.
Secondly, and more importantly, this isn’t a team that is going to spiral when things get tough.
Charlotte looked like it was gearing up to score again on its first drive of the second half when the defense came up with a fourth and one stop that set the tone for the rest of the game. The 49ers next two drives were three and outs and then the backups were in to put the game on ice.
Since it’s just one game, it’s not worth worrying about the specifics of the lackluster defensive first half. The offense drove down the field and remained in control, the defense responded exactly as you’d hope in the second half, and Indiana remains perfect with a 4-0 record.
Kurtis Rourke won Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week last week with his dominant performance against UCLA and decided to run it back today, completing 16/20 passes for 258 yards and a touchdown. He also had eight carries for 32 yards and a touchdown.
The most incredible thing about Rourke’s play so far this year is that he’s looked the exact same against every opponent so far. He’s composed, gets the ball off when he needs to, delivers pinpoint passes, and tucks it when the pocket collapses.
I am already at the point when I wish we had him for more than one season, but we don’t, so appreciate it while we have it. I would not be surprised if he’s playing on Sundays next year.
He’s leading one of the most impressive offensive units we’ve seen in years too.
It was repeated on the broadcast ad nauseam, but this Indiana team has set a record for points scored in a four game span. Indiana didn’t even punt today until the fourth quarter, scoring on its first seven drives with five straight touchdowns.
A lot of this is Rourke, but the running game stole the show today, racking up 222 yards as a team for six touchdowns. Five different players scored, including two touchdowns from Ty Son Lawton.
With the way that Indiana’s been able to run up the score and work in a good number of second team players, the Hoosiers have to be a nightmare to scout right now. In addition to the rushing game, seven receivers caught passes today with four of them tallying multiple catches.
Only Miles Cross, with 9.2 yards per catch, averaged fewer than ten yards per reception.
Until somebody slows this group down, Indiana should feel good about every game it enters with this high-powered offensive attack. As was the case today, it’s the kind of offense that can win despite a less-than-stellar defensive showing.