IU Will Raise the Victory Flag Against FIU If...

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

After each Indiana Hoosiers football win a giant IU flag, the Victory Flag, is raised high above Memorial Stadium. On Saturday the Hoosiers will be looking to raise the Victory Flag for the first time under head coach Curt Cignetti. Here is how they can accomplish that against Florida International on Saturday.

1. Gel as a Team

The Hoosiers have 54 newcomers to the program on the roster. 13 of them come from JMU, but the team has not been together for that long of a time. Positions like offensive line rely on working as one and great communication to be successful. How well the IU players start to gel will determine their success on the field.

Cignetti has said that his team had a great fall camp and the JMU transfers have been very helpful in setting the tone and getting others up to speed on expectations. It is a veteran laden group, so the more time they spend together the quicker the process will be.

2. Play with a Winning Mindset

The success that Curt Cignetti has had turning around programs has been well documented and if you don’t know about his success, just Google it. Cignetti is bringing a winning mentality to Bloomington, something that has been hard to cultivate and keep consistent on the football fields at IU. In the past IU teams have crumbled at the first sign of distress, that needs to change.

With all of the moving pieces and newness surrounding IU in 2024 there will be adversity. How IU responds to it will show just how far this program has come in an offseason. The Hoosiers enter the game as a 21.5-favorite, they need to act like it. Keep the foot on the gas until the game is well in hand.

3. Win the Turnover Battle

Turnovers are one of the most predictive stats in college football. Turnovers can keep underdogs in the game and help favorites blow out opponents. With a possibility of showers in Bloomington on Saturday, protecting the ball as well as creating turnover opportunities on defense will be very important. Cignetti’s defense at JMU in 2023 had 21 turnovers created and that team posted a plus-six in turnover margin. With a veteran offense, the ball must be taken care of.