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EVANSTON, Ill. – On Saturday afternoon, No. 24 IU improbably became the first team in the country to secure bowl eligibility thanks to a 41-24 win over Northwestern.

Here's how the Hoosiers performed (6-0, 3-0):

INJURY: A

Kurtis Rourke was once again outstanding (380 yards, three touchdowns). Aside from an early near-miss on a ball that otherwise could have been picked, the sixth-year transfer steered Indiana superbly. For all the pregame talk about Northwestern being the best defense IU has ever faced, what was overlooked was the extent to which the same was true of the Hoosiers with the ball and an unbreakable rhythm of run and pass coupled with Indiana's depth , made life difficult for all four of them.

Special mention goes to Elijah Sarratt, whose seven catches for 135 yards did not match the physical dominance of his position, both on the ball and in blocking in the open field. He is easily one of the best receivers in the conference in the first half of the season.

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DEFENSE: C+

Indiana should have an easier time with a pedestrian attack, but Northwestern (2-3, 0-2) obviously used the off week well after a lackluster performance in Washington. Quarterback Jack Lausch hurt the Hoosiers with his arm and feet, breaking control when he had to defend and picking corners in soft coverage. The Wildcats pushed Bryant Haines' unit, in some ways harder than any other opponent to that point. IU finished the game with just two sacks and did not force a turnover for the second straight game. It is to the hosts' credit that they achieved this higher score than expected.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B

Myles Price had a tough time with the wind on a punt return, but other than that, there's not much to report here. The Wildcats hurt Indiana with a few long kick returns, hence the lower grade. But Nico Radicic made all of his shots, and his two field goals, during some of his more nervous moments, were quietly important to IU's control of this game. Indiana could have been better here, but as we've said many times this season, the Hoosiers could have been a lot worse. Special teams continue to help far more than it hurts.

COACHING: A

This was a week to test the Hoosiers' concentration. A national ranking brought national attention and even talked about Indiana's playoff bid. Against a hard-nosed Northwestern team fresh from their bye week, this was never going to be a walkable road trip, and it proved so. Yet every time IU needed to make an effort, it did. Any score that needed an answer got one. The Hoosiers weren't the best we've ever seen, but they were more than good enough to earn their first win in Evanston in 31 years. We would like to thank Curt Cignetti and his employees for this.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Elijah Sarratt, wide receiver

These first six weeks have been a revolving door of opportunities to praise the impressive signings Cignetti and his staff added in the offseason. Make room for Sarratt, who has found the same form that made him a 1,000-yard receiver at James Madison last year. The junior wideout makes difficult catches and runs clean routes. He also plays with a physicality that transcends his position, and his blocking in the open field is often outstanding. In one of the Big Ten's best passing offenses, Sarratt is IU's biggest threat.

Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU athletics podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

On By John Fenwick

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