Written By: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)

With what Curt Cignetti deemed as “the first of a 13-chapter book” in the rearview mirror, it is time to look at how Indiana’s opponents fared in the first week of the college football season. We will continue to update this as the season progresses to keep an eye on how each team is looking on the Hoosiers’ upcoming schedule.

Overall Opponent Record Remaining Schedule: 9-2

Western Illinois (0-1): Last Week Loss at Northern Illinois 54-15

Northern Illinois made easy work of the well overmatched Western Illinois Leathernecks on Saturday. NIU QB Ethan Hampton threw for a career-high 328 yards and five touchdowns on 18-of-20 passing, while the Huskies offense in total amassed 706 yards of total offense – third-most in program history.

UCLA (1-0): Last Week Win at Hawaii 16-13

The Bruins came into the game as two-touchdown favorites but trailed 10-0 at halftime before figuring things out in the second half and escaping with a victory. Despite a strong performance from wide receiver Rico Flores Jr, the Bruins offense struggled to find its footing for most of the game and had to rely on some key stops from its defense in the second half.

Charlotte (0-1): Last Week Loss vs James Madison 30-7

Charlotte brought a sold-out crowd to try to take down the Curt Cignetti-less Dukes but ultimately three turnovers and twice the number of penalties plagued them, and they fell short of the upset. New quarterback Max Brown had a rough opening to the season, completing 22-of-45 passes for 193 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions.

Maryland (1-0): Last Week Win vs UConn 50-7

Maryland started out the season strong with new quarterback Billy Edwards Jr throwing for 311 yards and 2 touchdowns, while the defense kept the Huskies at bay. Watching the defense against a stronger opponent will be interesting, as they only allowed one touchdown but also only recorded one tackle for loss and had no sacks.

Northwestern (1-0): Last Week Win vs Miami (OH) 13-6

The opening of the Wildcats new temporary stadium did ultimately result in a win, though the game came down to the final drive. Once again Northwestern’s defense looked strong – while the Wildcats remain a bit weaker on the offensive side of the ball.

Nebraska (1-0): Last Week Win vs UTEP 40-7

All eyes were on star freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola in his debut with the Cornhuskers and he delivered; he finished the game with 238 yards and 2 touchdowns as Nebraska overpowered UTEP in the season opener.

Washington (1-0): Last Week Win vs Weber State 35-3

There’s certainly not the same level of talent remaining on the Huskies team this year after making the championship game last year, but they got off to a strong start in Jedd Fisch’s debut with an easy win over Weber State. 34 players made their Husky debut in the victory, including nine true freshmen.

Michigan State (1-0): Last Week Win vs Florida Atlantic 16-10

It was a far-from-flawless start to the Jonathan Smith era of Spartan football, but they were able to escape with a win despite being held scoreless in the second half. Quarterback Aiden Chiles had a rocky start and flashed more true sophomore moments than MSU fans would have liked.

Michigan (1-0): Last Week Win vs Fresno State 30-10

The Wolverines carried just a 16-10 advantage about midway through the 4th quarter before pulling away and ultimately earning a comfortable victory. Davis Warren and Alex Orji both threw a touchdown, while the Wolverines’ Will Johnson also added a touchdown from the defensive side of the ball on a pick six.

Ohio State (1-0): Last Week Win vs Akron 52-6

A 21-point 3rd quarter ultimately put the game on ice for a Buckeye team that is arguably the most talented in the country. Five-star freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith hauled in six catches for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns and the OSU defense was strong for the entirety of the game.

Purdue (1-0): Last Week Win vs Indiana State 49-0

Hudson Card had an incredible day for the Boilermakers, finishing 24-of-25 for 273 yards and 4 touchdowns. Purdue overpowered the Sycamores, amassing 583 yards of total offense to ISU’s 154. The only critique of the Boilers could come in sloppy penalties; they finished with 11 costing them 110 yards.

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