The Hoosiers 6’ 5” Senior QB Kurtis Rourke tore it up in the Rose Bowl while connecting on 75% of his throws for over 300 yards, 4 TD’s, and no picks while spoiling UCLA’s entry into Big Ten conference play. Six different receivers were the beneficiaries of multiple throws from Rourke with Senior WR Miles Cross and Tyson Lawton collecting one of his TD’s each with Senior WR Ke’Shawn Williams pulling in two. On the ground they rushed 29 times for another 123 yards with Senior RB Justice Ellison and Junior Elijah Green both making it into the end zone.
Indiana took an early lead and never let go, up 14-0 at the end of the 1st Qtr, 21-7 at the break, 28-10 after three and finishing with two more TD’s in the 4th while holding the Bruins to a field goal to finish the 42-13 blowout. It wasn’t exactly Ethan Gabers’ best day under center with two of those scores courtesy of a Garbers’ fumble on UCLA’s first play from scrimmage at their own 19 yard line following a punt and his interception at their own 40 yard line leading to a TD four plays later. In the air he connected on 14-of-23 for 137 and an interception but never found the end zone. On the ground the Bruins rushed four players multiple times with T.J. Harden leading the way with 12 carries for 48 yards of the team’s total 96 on the ground as well as UCLA’s only TD of the game with the other points on the board coming from two made field goals by Sophomore Place Kicker Mateen Bhaghani.
It was a prime time nationally televised game in the Rose Bowl that first year Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti knew as he said; “will get a lot of people’s attention. We went in there and wanted to play physical, tough and nasty and we did.” Some of that “nasty” resulted in 14 penalties for 127 yards. According to the AP Recap for ESPN; “it was UCLA’s worst loss in a home opener since being shut out 35-0 by Stanford in 2010.” Bruins first-year head coach DeShaun Foster had this to say; “This hurts. I’m a Bruin through and through. I don’t want to get emotional, good or bad, but it hurts . . . it’s not acceptable, and we’re gonna fix it.” With one of the toughest schedules in the conference they’ll have to fix it quickly with LSU, Oregon, and Penn State waiting in the wings the next three weeks.