The Runout: Previewing Indiana football’s Week 6 game against Northwestern

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football players had a muted reaction to jumping into the top 25 this week.

The Hoosiers are happy with the 5-0 start — the program’s best start since 1967 — but as coach Curt Cignetti told reporters on Monday — “this is a team that’s a little bit on a mission.”

That’s why players made a renewed call in the locker room to block out all the noise as they prepare for Northwestern.

“We can’t get lost in that,” Indiana tight end Zach Horton said.

Horton was part of the 2022 James Madison team that lost three straight after breaking into the top 25 for the first time in program history.

“We went and played Georgia Southern and just like that we lost the ranking so we can’t get caught up on that stuff, and just keep playing our brand of ball,” Horton said.

Let’s jump into our weekly preview, The Runout, for what else stood out during the week, players to watch, a prediction and more:

More: Is Indiana football a surprise 5-0 team? Not to coach Curt Cignetti

Indiana’s Elijah Sarratt (13) runs after the catch during the Indiana versus Maryland football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.

Indiana football vs. Northwestern: Tale of the tape

When: Saturday, Oct. 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET

Where: Martin Stadium (12,023), Evanston, Illinois

TV: Big Ten Network

Line: Indiana -13.5

Series: Northwestern leads 47-35-1

Last meeting: Northwestern def. Indiana, 34-3, on Nov. 2, 2019

More: Indiana football WR Donaven McCulley enters transfer portal midseason

Indiana football players to watch vs Northwestern

Elijah Sarratt, WR: Sarratt was Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke’s go-to-target in the second half against Maryland, but that wasn’t a surprising development.

Sarratt has been a steady presence on the offense as the coaching staff has rotated all the pieces around him. He’s played the most…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/runout-previewing-indiana-football-week-083817154.html

Author : The Herald-Times

Publish date : 2024-10-04 08:38:17

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