PASADENA, Calif. — Indiana football entered the Rose Bowl Stadium on Saturday with an opportunity to begin its season 3-0. Coming off a pair of blowout victories over inferior opponents, the Hoosiers kicked off conference play against UCLA.
Indiana received the ball to open the game and went on a 12 play, 75-yard touchdown drive spanning 6:29. Sixth-year senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke tossed a 3-yard pass to senior wide receiver Miles Cross to take a 7-0 lead.
On the Bruins’ first offensive play of the contest, redshirt senior quarterback Ethan Garbers fumbled the ball, and Indiana redshirt junior defensive lineman Mikail Kamara recovered it.
Now set up at UCLA’s 17-yard line, the Hoosiers’ struck in just three plays via Rourke’s 13-yard touchdown pass to fifth-year senior wide receiver Ke’Shawn Williams.
The Bruins chewed 7:28 off the clock on their ensuing drive but missed a 41-yard field goal. The Hoosiers failed to capitalize, though, as they turned the ball over on downs at UCLA’s 33-yard line.
After holding UCLA to a three-and-out, Indiana went 90 yards on 12 plays over 5:29 to increase its lead to 21-0 via fifth-year senior running back Justice Ellison’s 1-yard touchdown run.
For the third consecutive game, the Hoosiers allowed their opponent to score at the end of the first half as they entered halftime ahead 21-7.
On the opening play of the second half, Indiana redshirt senior defensive lineman CJ West was ejected for targeting after an illegal hit on Garbers. The Bruins ended the drive with a field goal.
The Hoosiers marched down the field in response, capping off the drive with a 3-yard touchdown throw from Rourke to Williams. Now ahead 28-10, Indiana lost its lockdown corner in sophomore cornerback D’Angelo Ponds to another targeting penalty. The Bruins ended their drive with a field goal to cut the Hoosiers’ lead to 15 points.
Now, with a chance to effectively seal the game, Indiana got the ball back with a chance to make it a three-possession game.
It did just that.
Rourke tossed a 23-yard touchdown pass to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Omar Cooper to give the Hoosiers a 35-13 lead.
Indiana tacked on another touchdown via redshirt junior running back Elijah Green’s 13-yard rush into the endzone, giving the Hoosiers a 42-13 victory.
Rourke finished the contest 25-of-33 for 307 yards and four touchdowns as the Hoosiers totaled 430 yards.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and columnist Jhett Garrett (@jhettgarrett) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
