Hoosier Transfers are Determined to Reclaim the Bucket

Written By: Nick Gonzales (@nrgonzales_)

After a disappointing loss to the Buckeyes, the Hoosiers are ready to get back on track and face off against their biggest rivals, the Purdue Boilermakers. Everyone from Indiana understands how important the rivalry is, but a lot of the players on this team’s roster are transfers. Not only are there a lot of transfers, but 13 transfers are from JMU who didn’t really have any rivalry games.

“The past couple years in FBS I think it was really App State, but for me I feel like it's nothing compared to what it is here. Excited for this one (the Purdue game), kind of the first true rivalry game I've been a part of. We're really excited.” James Carpenter replied about what his biggest rivalry game was prior to this during an interview on Tuesday.

Carpenter is a defensive line transfer from JMU who didn’t even know about the Purdue rivalry when he came into the program. However, with all the energy in the locker room, he is slowly starting to understand how important the game is. He doesn’t know too much other than the deep-rooted hatred between the two fan bases and teams. JMU transfer Zach Horton is also understanding how important this rivalry is, and he’s excited for his first real rivalry game since high school.

“It's going to have to go back to high school for me. At (James Madison) with my first season being FCS there and we bumped up to FBS. I never had a real set (rivalry) game. I have to go back to high school. My senior year, I would assume. It's been a while since being in a game like that with meaning like that… Since I stepped on campus, and even in recruitment, they talked about how much they hated Purdue. It's really exciting to be a part of that.” Zach Horton talked about his biggest rivalry game he has played in during his Tuesday interview.

Even without a whole lot of experience in rivalry games, these players understand why it’s so important for fans. The fans want a win against the Boilermakers, but the players are still treating it as just any other game. “Just treat it like any other game,” Texas Tech transfer, Myles Price, stated what his mindset is going into the game, “Throw the records away. Nothing matters but getting a dub at the end of the day.”

While the fans want the win because it’s Purdue, Cignetti’s squad still realizes that it’s just another game and they have to take care of business, but this game will have more animosity than others. “The same thing I do for every game,” Zach Horton said how he prepares for a rivalry game, “Like (Cignetti) preached, 'it's an important game because it's the next one.' With it being the bucket game, you have something a little extra in your head.”

Indiana is planning on handling business this Saturday in what will probably be their last home game of the season. If Indiana does everything they need to do and dominate another opponent this Saturday, their chance of making the College Football Playoffs becomes a lot better. The Hoosiers will host the Boilermakers in Bloomington this Saturday and will do whatever it takes to win back the Old Oaken Bucket.