#13 Indiana University Football Hosts Washington with ESPN’s College Gameday in Town #13 Indiana Hoosiers are in the national spotlight for the second straight week as ESPN’s College Gameday will be broadcasting live from the South Lawn of the Memorial Stadium Plaza from 9AM-Noon Saturday Morning before the Hoosiers battle the Washington Huskies at Noon on the Big Ten Network. The Hoosiers put on a show last Saturday with 56-7 shackling of Nebraska before a sold-out Memorial Stadium and Fox’s Big Noon Saturday and Kickoff Crew in attendance. The Hoosiers scored 5 rushing touchdowns on the Cornhuskers who had not allowed a rushing touchdown coming into the game. Indiana forced 5 Nebraska turnovers as Freshman Quarterback Dylan Raiola threw three interceptions and the Cornhuskers fumbled twice. Indiana has not allowed a first quarter score all season and are the only team in FBS to accomplish that feat and along with Army have not trailed in any game this season.
Indiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti is just the sixth coach in Big Ten History to start 7-0 in his first season and is the only coach on the list that is not from Michigan or Ohio State. Michigan’s Bennie Oosterbaan in 1948 along with Cignetti are the only non-Ohio State Coaches on the list. Carroll Widdoes in 1944, Earle Bruce in 1979, Urban Meyer in 2012 and Ryan Day in 2018-19 are in a club that some of the best coaches in the history of the Big Ten like Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler did not accomplish. The Hoosiers have scored 310 points for an average of 44.2 points per game and have given up 96 points for a defensive average of 13.7 points per game. Indiana has won all 7 games by double digits and their closest margin of victory is 14 points against Maryland at home 42-28.
Quarterback Kurtis Rourke has thrown 1,941 yards, 15 touchdowns and 3 interceptions this season. Rourke was hurt in the third quarter when a Nebraska defender hit his thumb and broke his nail. Rourke had successful surgery earlier in the week and will miss this game but could return for the Hoosiers road trip to Michigan State on November 2. Tavyen Jackson will start in place of Rourke this week and he 12-18 for 225 yards 3 touchdowns and been sacked 1 time this season. Jackson was 7-8 for 91 yards and 2 passing touchdowns against Nebraska. In 2023 Jackson was 78-128 for 914 yards with 2 touchdowns and 5 interceptions in 6 games with 5 starts. The Sophomore from Greenwood, Indiana and Center Grove HS gets his chance to show the next man up mentality of this Hoosier team that has been clicking in all three phases this season and no drop-off or letting their foot off the gas pedal.
The 1-2 rushing combo of Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton have combined for 907 yards and 16 touchdowns as the both have 8 apiece. Indiana has scored 28 rushing touchdowns and ran for 1,417 yards. Elijah Green has scored 5 touchdowns as the Hoosiers have scored 46 offensive touchdowns and nobody has figure out how to slow down this balanced attack. On Defense the Hoosiers have 21 sacks, 7 interceptions with 1 returned for a touchdown. Indiana has 7 forced fumbles and 5 fumble recoveries. Kicker Nicolas Radicic has been automatic with 4-4 field goals and 47-47 on extra point attempts. Indiana is 4-0 in Big Ten Play and outscored their opponent 181-72.
Washington is 4-3 and 2-2 in the Big Ten and make their third Cross-Country trip after a 21-18 loss at Rutgers and a 40-16 at Iowa 2 weeks ago. Keep in mind that this game will kick off at 9am Pacific Time which is when the Huskies kicked off against Iowa in Iowa City even though Washington is coming off a bye week it has been a major adjustment for the four new West Coast teams to get used to the travel schedule. The Huskies will make one more cross-country trip to Penn State on November 9. The Huskies have scored 169 points for an average of 24.1 points and have given up 119 points on defense for an average of 17 points per game. Washington had 393 yards of total offense against the Hawkeyes but Iowa had 2 passing a rushing touchdown along with 3 field goals. Will Rogers Jr. has thrown for 1,820 yards 13 touchdowns along with 2 interceptions and has been sacked 13 times. Demond Williams Jr. has thrown for 242 yards 2 touchdowns and been sacked twice. Jonah Coleman has run for 681 yards and 5 touchdowns and the rest of the Huskies team has combined 426 yards and no touchdowns. Denzel Boston has caught 9 of the 15 touchdowns for the Huskies and is a big play threat along Giles Jackson who has 2 touchdown receptions and combined the pair has 1,082 of the Huskies 2,062 receiving yards and 11 of the 15 touchdowns.
This will be the fourth all-time meeting between the two teams and the first as Conference Opponents. The Hoosiers beat the Huskies 20-13 in Seattle on September 25, 1976, and 14-7 in Bloomington on September 23, 1978. Washington won the last matchup in Seattle 38-13 on September 6, 2003. Lee Corso who will be here as an analyst for College Gameday was the Head Coach at Indiana from 1973-82 and coached IU to both wins over Washington. Corso led the Hoosiers to the 1979 Holiday Bowl with a 38-37 win over BYU. The 1979 Holiday Bowl team will be honored during the game and it’s only fitting that College Gameday tag along for its first ever Saturday appearance in Bloomington and second overall. They were in for a Thursday Night showdown against Ohio State on August 31, 2017, and that aired inside Memorial Stadium. Corso is famous for his headgear pick where he puts on the headgear of the team that he thinks will win the game. Indiana does not have a mascot and will be interesting to see what the 89-year-old does but with Indiana looking for its second 8-0 start in program history and first since 1967 this will be a memorable homecoming for Lee Corso and the Hoosier faithful getting to showcase that what has only been a Basketball School for a long long time is becoming a Football School.
Former Indiana University Quarterback and 1979 Big Ten MVP Tim Clifford Passes Away Just days before his former IU football head coach is set to return to campus, former Hoosiers quarterback Tim Clifford has passed away according to the IU Football X account. The IU Hall of Famer died Wednesday and was 65 years old. Clifford won the Big Ten’s Most Valuable Player award in 1979 after leading Indiana to an 8-4 record, a solid fourth-place finish in the Big Ten, final national poll rankings in the Top 20 and the school’s first-ever bowl win, an exciting 38-37 triumph over BYU in the Holiday Bowl. He completed nearly 56 percent of his passes for 2,078 yards and 13 touchdowns that season. Playing under Lee Corso at Indiana, Clifford won football letters in 1978, 1979, and 1980 and was an IU co-captain and MVP in both 1979 and 1980. Corso will be in Bloomington this weekend for College Gameday, and several of his former players are expected in Bloomington. Clifford ranks 10th in IU career passing yards after holding the record at one time, and he ranks 9th in career passing touchdowns. He held the NCAA record for highest quarterback rating for a game. Clifford also lettered in baseball for IU in 1978, 1979, and 1980. Clifford was drafted in 1981 by the Chicago Bears. He most recently lived in Ohio and worked at St. Ann’s Church in Cincinnati according to his LinkedIn page.
Former Indiana University Baseball Player Kyle Schwarber to be the Celebrity Guest Picker for ESPN’s College Gameday Saturday Former IU baseball great and MLB star Kyle Schwarber will be the celebrity guest picker for ESPN’s College Football Gameday on Saturday in Bloomington. Each week Gameday chooses a celebrity connected to the host school or state to make a prediction for that weekend’s contest. ESPN announced the news Thursday afternoon on their social media accounts and released a video of Schwarber. Schwarber just completed his 10th season in Major League Baseball. With 284, he has the most career home runs of any former IU player, passing Ted Kluszewski earlier this year. Schwarber has hit 38 or more home runs in each of his last three seasons. Selected in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft (fourth overall) by the Chicago Cubs, Schwarber is the highest draft pick in Indiana baseball history. He was a two-time First Team All-American and Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American honoree. In IU history, he ranks fifth in slugging percentage (.607), sixth in home runs (40), eighth in hits (238) and tied for eighth in triples (12) and runs (182) despite playing just three seasons. For his career Schwarber batted .341 in 180 games played, and he helped lead IU to the 2013 College World Series. Schwarber will join former IU football head coach Lee Corso on the ESPN panel of pickers. Gameday airs from 9 a.m. to Noon Saturday, with the game predictions coming towards the end of the broadcast. No. 13 Indiana (7-0) and Washington kick at Noon ET (BTN) at Memorial Stadium.
Indiana Pacers Player James Wiseman tears his Achillies in Season Opener The Indiana Pacers say that center James Wiseman suffered a torn Achilles tendon during Wednesday night’s season opener against the Detroit Pistons. In a release, the Pacers said: “An MRI taken earlier today confirmed that Wiseman tore his left Achilles tendon, and the team and Wiseman are working together to evaluate treatment options. Additional updates on Wiseman’s status will be provided as appropriate.”
Wiseman was the second overall pick of the 2020 draft and had signed a two-year contract with the Pacers on July 5. Wiseman scored six points in about 4 1/2 minutes of game action Wednesday in Indiana’s win over his former team. He left the game with 1:06 remaining in the first quarter. He has averaged just over nine points a game over his career.
Tickets on Sale for 2025 Indy 500 and other IMS Events While IMS will soon be cold and covered in snow, fans can warm up to the thought of next year’s races now that tickets are on sale. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced Wednesday morning that fans can get their tickets for 2025 marquee events, including the 109th Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400. “After an unforgettable 2024, it’s now time to start looking forward to the 2025 schedule at IMS and welcoming fans back to the Racing Capital of the World for another racing season,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “Other than renewal, buying now provides the best available seats at the lowest prices we offer and is a perfect time for our fans to make plans to be part of the many great racing events at IMS in 2025.” Tickets can be bought online by clicking here or at the IMS Ticket Office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information on getting your tickets, call 317-492-6700.
Here is a full list of tickets on sale for 2025 events at IMS:
Intercontinental GT Indianapolis 8 Hour: Friday, Oct. 17-Sunday, Oct. 19
Sonsio Grand Prix: Saturday, May 10
Miller Lite Carb Day: Friday, May 23
Legends Day presented by Firestone: Saturday, May 24
109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge: Sunday, May 25
Indy 500 Coors Light Snake Pit: Sunday, May 25
Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational: Saturday, June 14-Sunday, June 15
NASCAR Xfinity Series Pennzoil 250: Saturday, July 26
NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 presented by PPG: Sunday, July 27
IMSA TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks: Friday, Sept. 19-Sunday, Sept. 21
Fans can also purchase tickets to practices, qualifications and the Indy 500 public drivers’ meeting. All tickets are currently on sale now at their lowest possible prices, which will increase in 2025. Those looking to renew their Indy 500 tickets from last year can learn more by clicking here.
Indiana Pacers Open the NBA Regular Season with a road win at the Detroit Pistons Myles Turner scored 20 points, Pascal Siakam and Bennedict Mathurin had 19 each and the Indiana Pacers rallied to beat Detroit 115-109 on Wednesday night, spoiling coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s Pistons debut. Detroit led by 12 points and was ahead after each of the first three quarters in a closely contested game with 13 lead changes and four ties but couldn’t hang on for the win. The Pacers overcame an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Pistons 33-19 in the quarter in the season-opening game for both teams. Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton had 15 points and T.J. McConnell added 14. The Pacers are coming off a surprising run to the Eastern Conference finals and retained key players such as Siakam, an All-Star forward who signed a max contract. Cade Cunningham scored 22 of his 28 points in the second half for the Pistons, whose trio of veteran newcomers had solid performances. Detroit’s Tim Hardaway and Malik Beasley had 14 points apiece and Tobias Harris scored 13 points in the first game of his second stint with the franchise. Jaden Ivey scored 17 points and Jalen Duren had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Pistons, who had the league’s worst record the last two seasons. An overturned charge-block call with 6:31 remaining turned Harris’ potential three-point play and two-point lead for the Pistons into a one-point deficit. Indiana held Detroit to 5 of 20 shooting in the fourth quarter after the Pistons had made nearly 50% of their shots over the first three quarters. The Pacers stay on the road to play the New York Knicks tonight while Detroit is at Cleveland this evening. Indiana will host Philadelphia on Sunday, Oct. 27 in their home opener.