Within the ultimate evaluation, final week’s 38-15 loss at No. 2 Ohio State was no demise knell in any respect for Indiana.
The chaos that enveloped final week’s prime 12 within the Faculty Soccer Playoff enabled the Hoosiers to remain contained in the playoff discipline. They dropped from No. 5 to tenth.
Which means a win Saturday night time at house of their regular-season finale with in-state rival Purdue would carry one other layer to Indiana’s historic season — a spot within the 12-team playoff.
And may the Buckeyes stumble at house of their rivalry sport towards 6-5 Michigan, Indiana may additionally earn a spot within the Large Ten Convention championship sport Dec. 7 towards top-ranked Oregon.
“We’re sitting in a great place however we have to care for enterprise,” stated first-year Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti.
Whereas the overdogs from Ohio State poked enjoyable at Cignetti’s brashness after Saturday’s sport, there is no query he is the odds-on favourite for nationwide Coach of the 12 months. A program that is run fairly brutal for generations, apart from a scattered good season or two alongside the way in which, has risen from seventeenth place in preseason Large Ten predictions to controlling its future to get into the playoff.
The 2 issues Indiana (10-1, 7-1) desires to do within the season finale are repair issues that ropped up final week and never take the Boilermakers (1-10, 0-8) as a right. Indiana was put in as a four-touchdown favourite to pound Purdue.
They’d prefer to get their offense going once more after a few weeks the place they’ve struggled. Ohio State’s bodily protection restricted them to 151 whole yards, most of these approaching two landing drives. In a 20-15 win over Michigan Nov. 9, Indiana managed simply 246 yards of offense.
“We have got to get again in sync offensively and get our rhythm again the place we’re taking part in with a variety of confidence,” Cignetti stated.
Whereas the Hoosiers goal to return to type, the Boilermakers embrace the position of spoiler to finish a forgettable season with a memorable upset. By hook or by crook, modifications are coming to a program that is gone backwards in coach Ryan Walters’ second yr.
Walters is reportedly protected win or lose to return for a 3rd season.
“I am trying ahead to Saturday. That’s what I’m centered on proper now,” he stated. “These are the issues which can be proper in entrance of us proper now. After Saturday, I am going to sit up for the subsequent wave of issues.”
Since opening the yr with a 49-0 blanking of FCS opponent Indiana State, the Boilermakers have been principally pummeled. There have been shut video games, like final week’s 24-17 setback at Michigan State, however they’ve been outscored 411-130 for the reason that opener.
If Purdue is to present itself an opportunity on the upset, it’s going to in all probability want a giant sport from quarterback Hudson Card (1,606 yards, 9 touchdowns). It should additionally want some huge performs from defenders like linebacker Kydran Jenkins, who has 6.5 sacks this season and 23 in his profession.
The Boilermakers personal a 77-42-6 lead within the all-time sequence, which awards the winner the Previous Oaken Bucket. Purdue has gained the final three matchups, together with a 35-31 victory final yr on Card’s 10-yard landing run with 2:39 left.
–Area Stage Media
