COLLEGE PARK, Md. – There were few unknowns left for No. 2 Indiana football when it kicked off against Maryland at SECU Stadium on Saturday afternoon. In their first eight games of the season, Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers had triumphed over all adversity they faced, from raucous Iowa fans at Kinnick Stadium to a fourth-quarter turnover at Oregon and a slow defensive start against Michigan State.
Indiana (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) checked a new box with its authoritative 55-10 win over Maryland (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten), winning handily despite numerous injuries to key players and showing its ability to play at a high level regardless of personnel. It is a testament to the standard established by Cignetti and his staff as well as the buy-in from his players.
There was an unwelcome surprise on Indiana’s injury report before Saturday’s game: Starting left guard Drew Evans was out with a previously undisclosed injury. Ohio State transfer Zen Michalski, who joined the Hoosiers as an offensive tackle, took his place.
Though it took him some time to settle in — Maryland sacked Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and tackled running back Roman Hemby for a five-yard loss on back-to-back plays early in the first quarter — Michalski proved to be more adequate. Indiana rushed for a season-high 367 yards and rushed for four touchdowns for the second consecutive game. Maryland did not record another sack for the rest of the game, though it did not have many opportunities because Indiana ran the ball 70% of the time.
Indiana wide receiver Elijah Sarratt left Saturday’s game with what Cignetti described as hamstring tightness. When combined with the Terrapins defensive gameplan, options in the passing game were limited. Mendoza completed 14 of his 21 passes for 201 yards, two touchdowns (one rushing) and an early interception, though he was content playing the role of a game manager.
“Maryland wanted to take away our RPO game and our pass game,” Mendoza said postgame. “When you want to take away the pass, we’ll run 370 yards down your throat.”
The Hoosiers’ linebacker depth was also tested on Saturday. Starting middle linebacker Aiden Fisher did not play, sidelined by a leg injury he sustained on Oct. 25 versus UCLA. Linebacker Isaiah Jones, who is in the midst of a breakout season, took over green dot duties in Fisher’s absence. Kaiden Turner, who had appeared in just 13 games in his first three seasons at Indiana, was elevated to a starting role and intercepted Maryland quarterback Malik Washington in the second quarter, which led to an Indiana field goal.
Turner returned to the sideline hobbling after the play, which forced former walk-on linebacker Jeff Utzinger into action. On the first snap of Maryland’s next drive, Utzinger stuffed Terrapins running back Nolan Ray at the line of scrimmage. Despite being without its defensive leader in Fisher, Indiana held Maryland to a season-worst 37 rushing yards on 2.2 yards per carry. The Terps had just nine yards on 10 rushes before the fourth quarter.
Defensive coordinator Bryant Haines stymied Maryland’s offense in a way no other coach has this season. His unit forced the team with the nation’s best turnover margin (+1.7 turnovers per game) to turn the ball over five times.
Turner and Louis Moore intercepted Washington while Devan Boykin, Byron Baldwin Jr. and Garrett Reese all recovered fumbles. Boykin’s fumble recovery was a 32-yard scoop-and-score that put Indiana up 34-10 in the third quarter. Baldwin’s fumble recovery took place on the next play from scrimmage.
Even as the game got further out of hand and Cignetti called upon more reserves, Indiana refused to let up.
“That’s the key to the drill,” Cignetti said. “You’re playing from the first play to the last play. We’re getting close to that, and that’s why you see some of the results that you see. You see guys laying it on the line every play.”
This rate of attrition is foreign to Cignetti’s Indiana teams. In 2024, the Hoosiers stayed healthy for the majority of the season. They lost Evans to an Achilles tear in November and quarterback Kurtis Rourke missed 1.5 games with a thumb injury, but they largely stayed healthy.
This season, despite nicks and scrapes to Sarratt and Fisher as well as season-ending injuries to defensive back Bryson Bonds, edge rusher Kellan Wyatt and running back Lee Beebe, the Hoosiers continue to play at an elite level. Sometimes teams falter when their depth is tested, but it hasn’t happened to Indiana.
“We’ve had some guys step up, and that’s what you’ve got to have,” Cignetti said. “You’re going to need more people to step up because we don’t have an off week for a couple more weeks.”
While coaches at all levels preach the “next man up” mentality, Indiana lives it.
“The next guys up have to keep the standard,” Jones said. “That’s something we’re proud of on defense. Having a standard and playing to it no matter who we’re playing or who is playing.”
“It’s such a strong cultural group,” Mendoza said. “All those guys are excellent football players. Whoever’s in the game, I always have full confidence in my offensive line.”
Indiana’s second bye week is not until Nov. 22, so its games at Penn State and at home against Wisconsin may represent more opportunities for depth pieces like Michalski and Turner to make game-changing plays. Some may be surprised how Indiana barely skipped a beat even with key players battling injuries.
Not Cignetti.
