It’s truly been a one-of-a-kind season for Indiana Hoosiers football in 2024. Under first-year head coach Curt Cignetti, the program has continued to defy expectations. Sitting at 10-0, Indiana is off to its best start ever. With a top-five matchup against Ohio State looming in Week 13, the Hoosiers will hope to keep their magical season alive.
But even for Indiana—historically the most losing program in FBS history—critics won’t let them simply enjoy their success. As they prepare to face the No. 2 Buckeyes this weekend, many are questioning whether the Hoosiers are truly deserving of their No. 5 College Football Playoff ranking.
“We’ve put ourselves in a position right now to be talked about quite a bit,” Cignetti said, per CBS Sports. “That’s nice. It doesn’t help us prepare, doesn’t help us play any better. But we’ve got some great opportunities ahead of us.”
Historically, a team like Indiana wouldn’t come close to a top-five ranking this late in the season. Critics are quick to point to the Hoosiers’ 106th-ranked strength of schedule, the second-worst among the Top 25 behind only No. 19 Army.
Come Saturday, Indiana has a chance to silence the doubters by beating one of college football’s most storied programs. This game is, without a doubt, the biggest in program history. But to topple the Buckeyes, Indiana will face a host of challenges—none more daunting than trying to score in the passing game.
Transferring from Ohio University, Kurtis Rourke has been one of the most efficient passers in the country this season. He’s tied for 16th nationally in passing touchdowns (21), 19th in yards per game (267.7), sixth in completion percentage (71.8), and second in passing efficiency (182.6). And that’s even after missing a game with a hand injury.
Rourke’s performances have been essential to Indiana’s success this season, leading a Hoosiers offense that ranks second nationally in scoring. However, Saturday’s noon kickoff in Columbus will present Indiana’s toughest defensive test yet, inside the hostile confines of “The Horseshoe.”
Rourke will face a Jim Knowles-coached defense that excels at stifling opposing offenses. The Buckeyes rank fifth nationally in passing defense, allowing just 160.1 yards per game through the air. They’ve held seven of their 10 opponents this season to 200 passing yards or fewer. Only Oregon, the nation’s top-ranked team, eclipsed 300 yards, while Northwestern managed 201 yards last weekend.
Ohio State has not allowed a single passing touchdown in its last four games and has surrendered only four all season while recording seven interceptions.
A key factor in the Buckeyes’ defensive dominance is their depth in the secondary. Ohio State rotates seven safeties—Lathan Ransom, Caleb Downs, Jordan Hancock, Jack Sawyer, Caden Curry, Jaylen McClain, and Malik Hartford—all of whom grade out at 76.7 or higher per Pro Football Focus. Collectively, this group has tallied eight pass breakups, 12 forced incompletions, 43 receptions allowed, and 31 defensive stops.
While Indiana’s offense and Rourke’s talent present more of a challenge than Ohio State’s last four opponents, moving the ball through the air, and scoring by that means, will still be a tall task, especially against a talented group of defensive backs. For Indiana to have a legitimate chance at an upset, Cignetti and the Hoosiers coaching staff must devise a near flawless game plan for Rourke to exploit the Buckeyes’ defense and, crucially, find the end zone at least once or twice.