Coming off a four-touchdown performance, Indiana football sixth-year senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Monday according to a Big Ten release.
Rourke guided the Hoosiers to a dominant 42-13 victory over UCLA on Sept. 14, going 25-of-33 for 307 yards alongside four touchdown passes.
The Oakville, Ontario, Canada, native went nine-of-nine for 128 yards on third downs against the Bruins to secure Indiana’s first conference road win since Nov. 19, 2022.
“I thought he played really well and did a really nice job with his eyes and was accurate,” Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said Monday. “We did a great job protecting. We had no sacks. And, you know, [the] receivers did a nice job of separating and made some really good catches too. So I thought he played extremely well.”
Rourke connected with senior wide receiver Miles Cross six times for 90 yards and a touchdown. He also tossed a pair of touchdown passes to fifth-year receiver Ke’Shawn Williams.
Cignetti explained postgame the victory would open fans’ eyes, but that it’s just one of the games on the Hoosiers’ 12-game schedule. Rourke shares the same mindset.
“Everybody just wants to win,” Rourke said. “That's one common goal that we have.”
The Hoosiers’ 29-point win is their largest margin of victory over a conference opponent on the road since 2001.
Rourke is the first Hoosier to win the award since running back Stevie Scott did so Nov. 30, 2020. He is also the first IU quarterback to receive the award since Nate Sudfeld in Week 13 of the 2015 season.
Indiana enters Week 4 with an unblemished 3-0 record for the first time since 2022. The Hoosiers host the University of North Carolina at Charlotte at noon Saturday inside Memorial Stadium.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and columnist Jhett Garrett (@jhettgarrett) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
