Hoosier Huddle's Game Day Primer: Indiana Hoosiers vs Charlotte 49ers
/
Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)
What: Indiana Hoosiers (3-0) vs. Charlotte 49ers (1-2)
When: Saturday, September 21 at Noon
Where: Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, IN
How to Watch
The game will be broadcast on BTN and can be heard on the IU Radio Network.
Pregame Festivities:
Breakfast Club at Upstairs Pub pres. by Three Olives Vodka
Doors Open at 7am (First 200 people get a free t-shirt and breakfast)
Uplands Gameday Lager just $4 for every IUFB game this year
New state of the art room (fully functioning ticker, (5) 100" HDTVs, the old IU scoreboard from Assembly Hall
Series History
For the second straight week, Indiana is facing a new opponent. IU and Charlotte have never met on the gridiron. It is worth noting that many call IU the “losingest program in history” but of programs with at least 100 games at the FBS level, the Charlotte 49ers are currently 135th out of 135th (dead last for those that were promised there would be no math) in winning percentage, sitting at just 33.6% all-time. IU has risen to 127th at a 41.9% winning clip.
What’s at Stake
The primary goal for IU football beginning every season is to make a bowl game. That requires six victories and a win on Saturday over Charlotte would move the Hoosiers just two wins shy of becoming eligible for the postseason. After a resounding win in the Big Ten opener at the Rose Bowl, the Hoosiers return home to finish out the non-conference slate as a heavy favorite over Charlotte and charismatic head coach Biff Poggi. The team has to take things one win at a time but the bigger picture is worth taking a glance at for IU fans. The Hoosiers are now receiving votes in the Top 25 and they were mentioned by several national podcasts and publications as an early surprise team. People are beginning to take notice of what Curt Cignetti is building and stacking another competent and comprehensive performance on the three they have already put on the field would continue to garner momentum ahead of a clash with Maryland on September 28.
A FEW THINGS TO LOOK FOR
1. Can IU Handle Success?
Past Indiana teams have had difficulty dealing with success. A good performance would be followed quickly by a poor one that prevented the program from building on momentum. That is not a problem unique to the Indiana Hoosiers or to football teams in general. College teams are filled mostly with 18-to-22 year olds young men that, no matter how hard coaches try, are bound to have their heads filled with outside noise. After beating UCLA at the Rose Bowl on NBC and starting the season 3-0, praise has poured in for the work the Hoosiers have done to begin the 2024 campaign. IU is a heavy favorite against 1-2 Charlotte and it would be natural to have some backsliding and get off to a sluggish start or play some sloppy football this Saturday. One of Curt Cignetti’s former bosses, Nick Saban, famously called the outside praise “rat poison” and the IU head coach will spend the week trying to keep the rat poison away from his team. Can the Hoosiers continue to be sharp and build on their good start? Or, will they show complacency and allow Charlotte to hang around? Based on everything we have seen from Curt Cignetti and this group of players thus far, expect the former.
2. Offensive Fireworks
There were so many question marks surrounding this roster as we began the season. One of the questions was how the new offensive personnel and new offensive system would mesh together and how quickly they could build rhythm. Through three games, the Hoosiers are averaging 50 points per game, 5.86 yards per rush and 7.92 yards per play. The offense has yet to turn the ball over and Kurtis Rourke has spread the ball around to a lot of different weapons (six players already have receiving touchdowns). Charlotte is currently surrendering 31.3 points per game including an average passer rating of 151.24. Gardner-Webb quarterback Tyler Ridell just threw for 340 yards on the 49ers. Charlotte has been decent against the run and they have a secondary that can force some turnovers but they have been burnt through the air and Kurtis Rourke and this receiver room could be in for another big day. Undoubtedly, this is a game that Curt Cignetti would love to get a lot of players on the field to continue to build depth and confidence heading into the Big Ten home opener against Maryland. Can IU continue to find success on third down (currently converting 64.52% on that down)? If so, the Hoosiers should have another strong day on offense.
3. Defensive Questions
Who is Charlotte going to play at quarterback? So far in 2024, the 49ers have played Max Brown, Deshawn Purdie and Trexler Ivey. Brown, a transfer from Florida, was the starter to begin the season but he was injured and gave way to Deshawn Purdie. Trexler Ivey stepped in during the second half against Gardner-Webb and helped lead the 49ers’ comeback win. Purdie, a true freshman, was sacked six times by the Bulldogs and he was pulled for Ivey. Ivey played in 11 games a season ago and he led three scoring drives to lead Charlotte back. It is unknown which player they will start on Saturday but IU will be without top corner D’Angelo Ponds for the first half as he serves his targeting suspension. The Hoosiers have been spectacular on defense thus far but this Charlotte team does have some good weapons that are capable of hurting the secondary without Ponds. Who will step up for Indiana in Ponds’ absence? Can the pass rush get home against a pedestrian Charlotte offensive line?
Hoosier Huddle will have all the coverage you need of this week four matchup between Charlotte and Indiana.