Indiana Hoosiers vs. Michigan State Spartans Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 2nd 2024
Preview and Prediction
As we enter the final third of the regular season for college football, it's no longer a surprise to see No. 13 Indiana making headlines this year.
In a remarkable turn of events, the question now is whether the Hoosiers have what it takes to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff.
With four games left to play, Indiana (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) will have to pull off an unlikely feat. Their first challenge will come against Michigan State (4-4, 2-3) on Saturday afternoon in East Lansing, Michigan, in the annual battle for the Old Brass Spittoon.
The health of starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke is at the forefront of the minds of Indiana fans.
After missing last week's 31-17 victory over Washington due to a thumb injury, Rourke's return is uncertain. However, head coach Curt Cignetti expressed optimism on Monday, saying that Rourke's workload will increase throughout the week.
Backup quarterback Tayven Jackson stepped in and performed well against Washington, completing 11 of 19 passes for 124 yards with a touchdown and an interception. But Indiana knows that their best chance at making the 12-team playoff is with Rourke leading the team.
Rourke currently ranks fifth in the Big Ten in passing yards (1,941) and second in completion percentage (74.6).
Cignetti emphasized the importance of matching Michigan State's physicality in Saturday's game.
"They're a tough team," Cignetti said. "We'll need a strong play-action game and some trickery to keep them off balance. They have a very aggressive defense."
While Indiana has their sights set on a conference title and playoff berth, Michigan State is focused on securing at least two more wins to become bowl-eligible for the first time since the 2021 season.
After a 24-17 loss to arch-rival Michigan, the Spartans are preparing for a stretch where they will play three of their last four games at home.
"We have to move on to a tough opponent," said Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith. "Indiana is one of the hottest teams in the country right now. They are strong in all three phases of the game. Offensively, they can put up points quickly and their defense is solid. You don't win every game by accident."
Michigan State has not been as consistent as Indiana this year, largely due to the up-and-down performance of first-year starting quarterback Aidan Chiles.
After throwing seven interceptions in the first four games of the season, Chiles has only been picked off twice in the last four games.
If Chiles can continue to protect the ball and make plays with his arm and feet, the Spartans could pose a challenge for Indiana.
"We've gained confidence as the season has progressed," Smith said. "We can compete with anyone. Now, our goal is to play our best football in November."
The road team has won the last four games in this rivalry, including Michigan State's 24-21 victory over Indiana last year in Bloomington.
Indiana Hoosiers vs. Michigan State Spartans Recap NOV 2TH 2024
Kurtis Rourke went 19-of-29 passing for 263 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 13 Indiana to a 47-10 win over Michigan State in Big Ten play at East Lansing, Mich., on Saturday.
Rourke returned to action after missing last week's win over Washington with a thumb injury and helped keep hopes of a Big Ten title and College Football Playoff berth alive for Indiana (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten).
Indiana also reclaimed the Old Brass Spittoon, the trophy the Hoosiers and Spartans play for every year.
Aidan Chiles went 16-of-24 passing for 193 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in defeat for Michigan State (4-5, 2-4).
Michigan State took a 10-0 lead after the first quarter, but Indiana scored 47 unanswered points after that.
The Hoosiers scored 21 points in the second quarter, starting when Rourke hit tight end Zach Horton for a 17-yard touchdown pass with 14:13 left in the first half to finish off a seven-play, 75-yard drive and cut Michigan State's lead to 10-7.
Indiana took a 14-10 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by Ty Son Lawton with 6:22 remaining in the second quarter, and then went up 21-10 on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Rourke to Elijah Sarratt with 2:10 to go until halftime.
Following a safety, Rourke then hit Myles Price for an 18-yard touchdown pass with 11:39 remaining in the third quarter to put Indiana ahead 30-10.
A 16-yard touchdown run by Omar Cooper Jr. with 14:05 remaining in the game and an 11-yard touchdown pass from Rourke to Sarratt with 10:52 left gave Indiana a 47-10 lead.
Michigan State got off to a good start, taking a 10-0 lead in the first quarter on a 47-yard field goal by Jonathan Kim and an 18-yard touchdown pass from Chiles to Nick Marsh.
But it was all Indiana after that in what was the fifth straight win for the road team in the annual rivalry.