Hunker down boys. Crunch time got here in a hurry compared to the 2024 football season for the Indiana Hoosiers that played out like Coach Curt Cignetti was driving the glass coach to pick up Cinderella.
Last year the Hoosiers played more than 480 minutes, more than eight games, before they found themselves behind. This year it took all of 11 seconds for the Old Dominion Monarchs, thanks to the fleet feet of their quarterback Colton Joseph. ODU 7 Indiana 0.
Last year after the season opener, Coach Curt Cignetti chastised the fans that left at halftime. This year the offensive line could not get out of its own way to push a Hoosier runner into the endzone inside the five. Fans left at halftime. Coach Cig had much more to think about after this game than chewing fans.
Last year the Hoosiers had to go 5-0 before they got an ounce of love from the AP Top 25 voters. This year they entered the season as the AP’s 20th ranked team. After a lackluster performance on Saturday, the Hoosiers dropped to #23 this week.
The Hoosiers will probably be fine. They have a couple more games to get the kinks worked out before the 11th ranked Illinois Illini show up to Bloomington. That game could be a matchup between the lowest ranked teams ever to play in Memorial Stadium.
Saturday was not BAD for the Hoosiers. If they don’t improve before Illinois gets here it will be bad.
Team Stats
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Downs | 10 | 30 |
| 3rd down efficiency | 4-10 | 10-17 |
| 4th down efficiency | 0-0 | 0-2 |
| Total Yards | 314 | 502 |
| Passing | 96 | 193 |
| Comp/Att | 11/22 | 18/32 |
| Yards per pass | 4.4 | 6.0 |
| Interceptions thrown | 3 | 0 |
| Rushing | 218 | 309 |
| Rushing Attempts | 23 | 57 |
| Yards per rush | 9.5 | 5.4 |
| Penalties | 9-65 | 3-25 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 1 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 1 |
| Interceptions thrown | 3 | 0 |
| Possession | 18:32 | 41:28 |
These are not bad stats. The game was not the 27-14 score it appeared to be. The Hoosiers ran all over these guys. Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black ran well. The offensive line was stellar from 20 to 20. The QB and receiver play has to improve. Errant throws and drops were a problem.
Defensively, 163 of Old Dominion’s 218 yards came on two runs by the quarterback. The defense was not bad.
The only thing that seemed to fail the eye test was a team that was not ready to play good football when the guys in the striped shirts finally gave them the go-ahead to start hitting someone with a different colored jersey on. This is the moment when things really need to and really should come together. That is teamwork.
Herb Brooks, when putting his 1980 Olympic Hockey team together, said he wasn’t looking for the best players. He was looking for the best team.
4 hours before kickoff things were hopping around Memorial Stadium. That was refreshing. Major College Football is alive and well in Bloomington.
In 2019, I took this picture 3 hours before the Ohio State game. Things are much better in 2025.