Within the remaining 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 high 12 within the School Soccer Playoff enabled the Hoosiers to remain contained in the playoff subject. They dropped from No. 5 to tenth.
Which means a win Saturday night time at dwelling 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 will the Buckeyes stumble at dwelling 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 deal with enterprise,” mentioned first-year Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti.
Whereas the overdogs from Ohio State poked enjoyable at Cignetti’s brashness after Saturday’s sport, there isn’t any 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) needs to do within the season finale are repair issues that ropped up final week and never take the Boilermakers (1-10, 0-8) with no consideration. 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 complete 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 to get again in sync offensively and get our rhythm again the place we’re taking part in with loads of confidence,” Cignetti mentioned.
Whereas the Hoosiers purpose to return to kind, 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 12 months.
Walters is reportedly secure win or lose to return for a 3rd season.
“I am wanting ahead to Saturday. That’s what I’m centered on proper now,” he mentioned. “These are the issues which are proper in entrance of us proper now. After Saturday, I am going to look ahead to the following wave of issues.”
Since opening the 12 months 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 would in all probability want an enormous sport from quarterback Hudson Card (1,606 yards, 9 touchdowns). It is going to additionally want some massive 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 received the final three matchups, together with a 35-31 victory final 12 months on Card’s 10-yard landing run with 2:39 left.
–Area Stage Media
