Indiana 41-24 Northwestern (Oct. 5, 2024) Game Recap

EVANSTON, Ill. – Kurtis Rourke threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns to help No. 23 Indiana stay undefeated with a 41-24 victory over Northwestern on Saturday.

The Hoosiers (6-0) also had 158 yards on the ground, with Justice Ellison (68 yards) and Ty Son Lawton (52 yards) each having a rushing touchdown. Elijah Sarratt had 135 yards on seven catches. The Hoosiers tied their best start to the season with six wins, drawing level with the 1967 squad.

Jack Lausch had a strong performance for Northwestern, throwing for 243 yards and two scores. Bryce Kirtz and AJ Henning were his favorite targets, combining for 195 yards on 16 catches.

After a slow start, both teams scored five consecutive shots on goal at the end of the first half. Indiana took a 17-10 lead at halftime, led by Rourke's 196 yards. Miles Cross made a catch in the back of the end zone that broke the 7-7 tie and gave the Hoosiers the lead for good.

Henning caught two touchdowns in the second half, including a two-yard screen pass that cut the deficit to 27-24. However, Northwestern's defense couldn't stop Indiana from marching down the field for touchdowns on consecutive drives, and the Hoosiers put the game away.

IU offense is rolling again

Saturday's third-best offense in the country broke the 40-point mark for the fifth time this season and managed over 500 yards of total offense without any turnovers. Rourke enjoyed his third 300-yard performance in the last four games while the Hoosiers averaged 4.9 yards per carry on the ground before the final drive. Indiana had the 11th-worst offense in 2023, scoring 22.2 points per game.

Missed tackles plague Northwestern

The Wildcats held Indiana to turnovers on downs and punts to open the game, but Northwestern's defense allowed seven consecutive scoring drives (five touchdowns, two field goals) to essentially seal the game. The main culprit was a missed tackle on a 52-yard catch-and-run by Ke-Shawn Williams that evaded four Northwestern defenders. Indiana's 41 points were the most allowed by the Wildcats in their five games played.

The snack bar

Indiana: The Hoosier defense struggled at times to stop Northwestern, but Indiana's calling card was the offense, which continued its dominant start to the season. Rourke was excellent and was supported by a strong ground attack.

Northwestern: Despite the loss, the Wildcats can be optimistic that they will face one of their toughest challenges yet, beating Indiana 6-0. Lausch recovered well from a disastrous game in Washington in which he completed less than 30% of his passes and showcased his prowess in both the air and on the ground.

Next

Indiana: The Hoosiers have a bye week before hosting Nebraska on Oct. 19.

Northwestern: The Wildcats have a short week ahead of them and will travel to College Park to take on Maryland next Friday.

Impact on the survey

No. 22 Louisville fell to SMU on Saturday morning, giving Indiana a chance to move up in the polls. However, No. 9 Missouri was upset by No. 25 Texas A&M, meaning the Aggies have a good chance of overtaking the Hoosiers.

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