Matchup to Watch: Week Eleven – Protecting Kurtis Rourke

Written by: TJ Inman 

The Indiana Hoosiers are ranked fifth in the country and enter Saturday’s contest at 10-0. The 2024 season has already been a historic one for the Indiana Hoosiers but Curt Cignetti’s team is aiming to accomplish more than just reaching double-digit victories for the first time in school history. “We have some great opportunities in front of us. The only limitations on this football team are the one we put on ourselves between our ears and this team doesn’t think that way,” Curt Cignetti told the media on Monday.

IU’s first crack at one of those “great opportunities” comes on Saturday in Columbus as IU plays #2 Ohio State on FOX’s Big Noon Saturday. The stakes for this game are very clear: the winner is very likely going to the Big Ten Championship Game and essentially locks up a College Football Playoff spot. A loss for Indiana, particularly one that is uncompetitive, puts the Hoosiers’ playoff chances in a precarious position. In a massive game against a terrific opponent, what should be singled out as a “matchup to watch” in a game where everything is potentially critically important? There are the obvious things like “win the turnover battle”, “handle the atmosphere of a packed Horseshoe” and “limit big plays on defense”.

So, making this selection of a singular matchup to watch is certainly not eliminating other elements from mattering a whole heck of a lot on Saturday afternoon but it's important to remember what Michigan did to really disrupt IU’s offense in the second half of Indiana’s last game. The Wolverines used a terrific defensive front to get pressure on Kurtis Rourke. UM was able to slow IU’s offense down in a way that we have not seen from any other defense this season and Ohio State certainly has the talent upfront to cause similar issues. The Ohio State Buckeyes have a number of very good defensive linemen the Buckeyes will lean on to replicate what Michigan did to the Hoosiers in the second half: JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer on the end, Ty Hamilton and Tyleik Williams on the interior. Ohio State can also dial up some creative blitzes with Sonny Styles, a freak of an athlete that plays safety or linebacker depending on the situation, Cody Simon and C.J. Hicks. Michigan was able to bring pressure and rely on their corners to cover IU’s receiver man-to-man when Kurtis Rourke was pressured and out of rhythm. IU’s best chance to move the ball and put up points against this loaded defense might be getting cornerbacks Davison Igbinosun and Denzel Burke into situations where they have cover vertically. They both have a propensity to get handsy and have pass interference penalties called on them or get beat on double-moves. Oregon picked on Burke relentlessly and Evan Stewart had a big game as a result. For any of those opportunities to come to fruition, the IU offensive line has to do a better job of keeping Rourke clean in the pocket. 

The Ohio State Buckeyes are fifth in the country in sack percentage, bringing opponent quarterbacks down on 10.2 percent of drop-backs. If they are able to get consistent pressure on Rourke, Indiana’s offense will have a very difficult time generating enough points to keep up with the Buckeyes.