Hoosier Huddle's Game Day Primer: Indiana Hoosiers vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

What: Indiana Hoosiers (2-4) vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (5-2)

When: Saturday, October 21 at Noon 

Where: Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, IN

How to Watch: The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network and can be heard on the IU Radio Network.

Series History: The Indiana Hoosiers and Rutgers Scarlet Knights did not play until Rutgers joined the Big Ten. The first series meeting was 2014 and the teams have met each season since with Indiana winning five of the nine matchups. Indiana actually won five in a row from 2016 to 2020 before the Scarlet Knights took the two most recent meetings. The last time Rutgers was in Bloomington, they embarrassed the Hoosiers with a 38-3 whooping.

What’s at Stake: The Scarlet Knights are looking for win number six and bowl eligibility. Clinching a bowl game before Halloween would be a wonderful accomplishment for Rutgers. The Hoosiers are sitting at 2-5 and the Tom Allen era is on the brink of collapse. IU does have winnable games remaining (Wisconsin, Michigan State, Illinois and Purdue) and could salvage the season but a third-straight loss to Rutgers would be a death knell for the 2023 campaign, and possibly for Tom Allen as head coach.

A FEW THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. Who Plays QB?

It is game number seven and IU fans (and coaches) are still asking this question. Tom Allen told the media on Monday that IU would make a decision this week and whoever starts on Saturday against Rutgers will be IU’s quarterback for the remainder of the season. The Hoosiers are done rotating quarterbacks, barring injury. The first thing to look for on Saturday is whether Tayven Jackson or Brendan Sorsby take the field to lead the offense. Sorsby has probably been the better of the two and he offers mobility that Tayven Jackson does not have. Regardless of which quarterback the coaches settle on, IU’s offense absolutely has to find some success. They’ll be going against a defense that has allowed only 16 points per game and is rock solid against the run. 

2. Containing Kyle Monangai

Sophomore running back Kyle Monangai is currently second in the Big Ten with 635 rushing yards and an average of 5.29 yards per game. Monangai is the main focus of the Scarlet Knights offense and RU will look to feed him throughout the contest. The Scarlet Knights struggle when forced into third and medium or third and long situations. In other words, IU’s defense has to limit the success Monangai has on early downs and force Rutgers into obvious passing situations. The Hoosiers were able to pressure Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and could do the same to Gavin Wimsatt but if Monangai is able to consistently gain five or six yards per carry, the Scarlet Knights will keep IU’s defense on the field.

3. Mental Approach

The Indiana Hoosiers were riding high in the 2019 and 2020 seasons. IU nearly reached the top ten and had a very legitimate chance to win the Big Ten. Since that time, the Hoosiers have fallen off a cliff and are just 2-19 in their last 21 Big Ten games. Thus far in Big Ten play, the Hoosiers have fallen convincingly to Ohio State, Michigan and Maryland. Indiana has been outscored 27 to 119 in those three conference games. To be blunt, IU has been uncompetitive in the conference for two and a half seasons. It is Homecoming and, to borrow a phrase from basketball, the 2023 season is “on the brink”. If the Hoosiers are going to turn things around and show they are still bought in and want to fight for success, it has to show on Saturday against Rutgers.