- IU vs. Maryland, noon, Saturday; TV: BTN
BLOOMINGTON — How much hasIndiana footballimproved from last season?
The Hoosiers will find out when they host a Maryland team that beat them 44-17 in a 2023 game that was the beginning of the end of Tom Allen’s tenure.
Indiana (4-0; 1-0 Big Ten) got beat in all phases by the Terps, but new coachCurt Cignettihas transformed the program since taking over and the new-look Hoosiers are in a position to make history on Saturday by winning five straight games to open a season for only the second time.
Osterman:In one of IU’s biggest home games in years, Curt Cignetti needs you there.
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Jump into our weekly preview, The Runout, for what stood out during the week, players to watch, a prediction and more:
IU football vs. Maryland TV, betting odds
- When:Saturday, Sept. 28 at Noon ET
- Where:Memorial Stadium (52,626), Bloomington, Indiana
- TV:Big Ten Network
- Line:Indiana -7
- Series:Indiana leads 7-5
- Last meeting:Maryland def. Indiana,44-17, on Sept. 30, 2023
IU football players to watch vs Maryland
Kurtis Rourke, QB:Indiana and Maryland features a showdown between two of the Big Ten’s best quarterbacks.
Rourke ranks third in the conference in passing yards (1,013), third in completion percentage (75.5%), tied for second in passing touchdowns (eight) and first in QBR (92.4) while Billy Edwards Jr. ranks first in passing yards (1,155), fourth in completion percentage (75.0%), tied for second in passing touchdowns (eight) and fifth in QBR (75.4).
The main difference between the two is that Rourke ranks near the bottom among the conference’s starting quarterbacks in attempts per game (23.5) while Edwards has averaged second-most attempts per game (34.0).
Rourke should take center stage this weekend against a Maryland passing defense that’s struggled this season. The Terps are giving up 247.0 passing yards per game (No. 103 out of 134 FBS teams) and nine completions of 30-yards or more (tied for No. 119).
D’Angelo Ponds, CB:Indiana’s secondary got by without Ponds in the first half last week as he served a suspension for targeting. Jamari Sharpe stepped into the starting lineup alongside Jamier Johnon and he was credited with four pass-breakups in the win over Charlotte.
The Hoosiers are still happy to have Ponds available from the start of the game on Saturday as they prepare to face Tai Felton, who ranks third in the country in yards per game (151.0), second in receptions per game (10.3) and accounted for more than a third of Edwards’ targets.
According to Pro Football Focus, he’s got seven completions of 20 yards or more through the air, second most in the country, for 214 yards with three touchdowns.
How will Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines slow Felton down? He’s relied pretty heavily on zone coverage — the Hoosiers have only allowed just one pass of 30 yards through the first four games — and Ponds will be an important part of that strategy.
Aiden Fisher, LB:Fisher runs the show on defense.
While Fisher never lets up — he ranks among the country’s top 20 defenders with 38 tackles —his most important task this weekend will be making sure everyone plays with a sustained energy level that Cignetti found lacking against Charlotte.
“We weren't swarming the football like we've done in the past,” Cignetti said. “I mean, I didn't see us really swarm the football until that fourth and one stop in the second half. So we're capable of playing better, and we're going to need to play better.”
Charlotte converted a series of third and short situations and those moments are where a bit more intensity from IU would have come in handy.
IU football: Week 5 Odds and Ends
Playing catch up:Indiana had the game against Charlotte well in hand when backup quarterback Tayven Jackson took a few shots down field to Donaven McCulley. It was an intentional effort from the coaches to get the receiver involved as he works his way back from injury. Cignetti is hoping McCulley can get back “in the swing of things” in the coming weeks after playing only 19 total snaps over the first four games.
Flex guy:Tyler Stephens, who has played every position on the offensive line for Cignetti going back to their days at JMU, added tight end to the list against UCLA. Stephens got snaps at both left guard and tight end against Charlotte, which could be the norm going forward with him filling in where needed. He's getting those reps at tight end with James Bomba sidelined.
Kicking off:Indiana’s kicking situation is a bit in flux. Kickoff specialist Derek McCormick has missed two straight games with an undisclosed injury and his replacement Alejandro Quintero left the game against Charlotte after limping off the field. Freshman Quinn Warren has done well when called upon —he’s averaged 60.9 on seven attempts with one touchback. Cignetti didn’t shed any light on who will get the starting nod this weekend.
Hard pass:Indiana won’t just be tasked with slowing down Felton. Cignetti singled out wide receiver Kaden Prather and starting tight end Dylan Wade as players that stood out on film. Prather, who is 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, is second on the team in receiving with 21 catches and 203 yards. He’s a former West Virginia transfer with a ton of experience. Wade is making his mark as a big-play target (18.7 yards per catch).
IU football stat of the week
7: Indiana and Maryland are tied for second in the country with a +7 turnover margin. California ranks first with a +8 turnover margin. The Hoosiers are one of just three teams in the FBS that haven’t turned it over (Louisville and Georgia) and they have played one more game than both those teams. It’s the longest such streak without a turnover for IU since at least 1996. Maryland has forced 10 turnovers (six interceptions) and lost three.
IU football quote of the week
“We're just a group of guys that believe. Half our team is out of the portal, and when Cig recruited us exactly what he wanted to do and what his goals were, and clearly, he said enough to get us to come here. We have a lot of guys from schools that won games and understand winning culture. We brought it over and it translated, and you can see us turning it into wins.” Indiana wide receiver Ke’Shawn Williams on the team’s winning mindset
Prediction: Indiana 38, Maryland 31
The IU-Maryland series has produced some fireworks in recent years. Over the last eight seasons, the programs have played six one-possession games including four in a row from 2016-19.This weekend' game could be the next one added to that list.
Indiana’s impressive offensive consistency gives them the edge. If the Hoosiers continue to play mistake-free football and protect the quarterback, they can overcome Maryland breaking off some explosive plays of its own.
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X@michaelniziolekand read all his coverageby clicking here.
