Before Indiana football takes on Illinois in a high-stakes, nighttime matchup that will likely have College Football Playoff implications, it hosts Indiana State to close the tuneup phase of its schedule. The No. 22 Hoosiers (2-0) will face the Sycamores (2-0) on short rest, just six days removed from a 56-9 win over Kennesaw State.
Despite his team outscoring its opponents 83-23 while ranking third in the nation at 311 rushing yards per game thus far, head coach Curt Cignetti is unsatisfied.
“You always have to improve,” Cignetti said Monday. “I don’t think the players want to look at the score and feel like we’re there, because we’re definitely not.”
Indiana allowed four consecutive Kennesaw State drives of 44 yards or greater: Three ended in field goals, and the fourth ended in a forced fumble by defensive back Jamari Sharpe. Cignetti attributed these long drives to miscommunication and a lack of urgency when getting lined up on defense.
“The calls are getting in quick enough, and the communication from (linebacker) Aiden (Fisher) is getting done quick enough,” Cignetti said. “The guys in the back end have to get lined up faster.”
Indiana State enters Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium with wins over Division-II McKendree and FCS Eastern Illinois, averaging 39.5 points per game. The Sycamores are 0-6 against Indiana all-time, last falling 41-7 to the Hoosiers in 2023, a season which ended with the firing of Indiana head coach Tom Allen.
Indiana State head coach Curt Mallory — the youngest son of Bill Mallory, the winningest football coach in IU history — said that starting quarterback Elijah Owens suffered a collarbone injury in the Sycamores’ win over Eastern Illinois, meaning the visiting squad will be forced to lean on former USC quarterback Keegan Patterson to run its offense. Patterson was 11-for-17 passing against Eastern Illinois, throwing for a pair of touchdowns and no interceptions.
The Sycamores have two rushers with double-digit carries, one of whom is the injured Owens. Running back Plez Lawrence exploded for 133 yards on 21 carries against McKendree, but was held to just 10 yards on 10 rushes against Eastern Illinois. Lawrence also has caught five passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns.
“They’re doing a nice job on offense,” Cignetti said. “They’re fairly balanced. I’m sure they’re going to come in excited to play.”
Indiana and Indiana State are set for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff on Friday from Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network, the IU Sports Radio Network and WIUX Sports.
