Opponent: Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Location: SHI Stadium, Piscataway, NJ
Why They Played
The Hoosiers and Scarlet Knights met for the first time since 2023 as part of the Big Ten rotational opponents.
What The Game Meant
The Hoosiers hit the road for the first time in 2026. While Rutgers is below the middle of the pack in the Big Ten, it was a chance for the Hoosiers
Players of the Game
Offense
Lee Beebe and Turbo Richard, Running Backs, Indiana
There was plenty of fear in the fanbase as injury report after injury report looked like Indiana was going to have to bring back Anthony Thompson for a 6th year. However, IU got huge performances from Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe. Richard set a career-high with 204 yards and scored a touchdown on just 13 carries. At this time last week, people were preparing for Richard to miss multiple weeks.
Beebe was on the injury report this week as well, but played and went for 122 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries after running for over 200 yards last week.
Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh, Wide Receivers, Indiana
Indiana did not just do it on the ground. IU used an aerial attack to put up big numbers as well. Boy, was it fun seeing Becker and Marsh become a nightmare for defenses to defend. Becker caught eight passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns, while Marsh had seven catches for 120 yards and a touchdown.
Josh Hoover, Quarterback, Indiana
Hoover got into to rhythm early reading his RPOs correctly to start the game 10-10. He finished with 251 yards and four touchdowns while completing 20-of-27 passes. He did not turn the ball over.
Defense
Stephen Daley, DL, Indiana
Daley has been Indiana’s best defensive lineman the last two games as he gets back into playing shape and rhythm. He is blowing up opposing offensive lines and Rutgers was no exception. Daley made three tackles and had two sacks Saturday night.
Jaylen Bell, Defensive Back, Indiana
People will just remember Bell for his misplay on a long touchdown pass. He was in great position, but looked like he lost the ball in the lights (Rutgers’ light banks are tricky). However, he helped IU keep KJ Duff in check and made three tackles. While there will be growing pains, Bell has stepped up to the challenge.
Jesse Ofurie, Defensive Back, Rutgers
Rutgers’ defense did not get many stops, but when they did Ofurie was at the middle of it. He made six tackles and had 1.5 tackles for loss.
Special Teams Performance
ALERT! Nico Radicic missed an extra point and his school record of nailing 169 in a row is over. Oh, he also missed a field goal. It was a performance that Cignetti blamed on bad vibes coming from Jupiter or that it was Aquarius. Either way, it doesn’t happen often. Radicic looked fine the rest of th game, hitting five total extra points and two field goals, including a 48-yarder in the fourth quarter.
Indiana did not have many chances to return punts as Rutgers used a cross-field kick to negate the return game. IU did not attempt a kickoff return.
Billy Gowers punted twice and pinned Rutgers inside the 20-yard line once. Between Paddy McAteer and Quinn Warren IU never game Rutgers a chance to return kicks.
Key Stat(s)
8.4 to 1.7
The Hoosiers averaged 8.4 yards per carry to Rutgers 1.7. Indiana did it well both through the air and on the ground as the defense made the Scarlet Knights one-dimensional
Turning Point
The turning point came early in the second quarter as the Hoosier defense got the offense the ball back with a fourth-down stop. Indiana’s offense would go down and score a touchdown to make it 23-0.
I Knew it Was Over When…
When Indiana extended the lead to 23-0. A three-score deficit was when you could put this one to bed.
What I Took Away From the Game
Saturday’s 47-15 win over Rutgers was IU’s most complete performance of the season and the Hoosiers seem to be hitting their stride at the right time. The passing game looked sharp, the offensive line and tight ends are starting to gel and block well and the ground game was terrific. Yes, it was against a bad Rutgers team, but this is how it was supposed to look.
I believe getting away from Bloomington and out from under the microscope of the podcast world that is IUFB, was a great thing for this team. Charlie Becker said the theme of the week was, “It’s just us, and that’s all we need”.
It was great to see IU get Hoover throwing the ball early, whether that was by design or Hoover making the correct reads in the RPO game, it worked beautifully and gives confidence as IU hits their toughest stretch of the season. It looked as if IU started to put things on tape for opponents to prepare for while Nick Marsh and Charlie Becker each went over 100 yards.
The Hoosiers had nearly 600 yards of total offense. While they ran the ball 10 more times than they threw it, IU changed their tendencies.
There’s a big sign of relief with running back health as well as there was some concern IU would be extremely thin at the position. With Richard’s career night and Beebe going over 100 yards again, IU’s rushing attack is lethal.
Defensively, IU seems to be hitting their stride as well. Stephen Daley is a game wrecker and getting back to playing at full speed. His counter part in Kellan Wyatt had a bigger role Saturday as he continues to work his way back from an injury. The secondary kept KJ Duff in check, outside of one spectacular diving catch, by jamming him with Rolijah Hardy and other double teams.
This team looks ready for the test of going to a raucous Memorial Stadium to face the undefeated Nebraska Cornhuskers.
What’s Next
The Hoosiers hit the road again as they travel to Lincoln to face a 5-0 Nebraska team. The game will be FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff Game.
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