2024 Bucket Game

The 2024 Bucket Game
The #126 meeting
Indiana and Purdue
For the battle of the Old Oaken Bucket 
For the #99 time!
Bring It!

IU @ Ohio State

Indiana drew first blood to go up 7-0 after which Ohio State reeled off 31 straight points to win by a final score of 38-15. Indiana held the advantage for first downs 16-14 and a slight advantage of time of possession 30:30-29:30 but in the end, it was a total dominance by the Buckeyes. 

The Buckeyes took the lead on two special-teams' mishaps by the Hoosiers. On a 4th and 15 at IU 30 with 1:41 left in the first half James Evans was forced to run for a loss of 23 yards after the ball sailed over his head in put formation. This led to a TreVeyon Henderson 4-yard touchdown followed by a Caleb Downs 79-yard Punt Return early in the third quarter. 

Sources:
The Helmet Project found here:
http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm
Photo © The B1G Network
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

College Football Playoff Rankings

 

The second batch of College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday provided yet more evidence of the rarefied air Indiana has entered with its program best 10-0 start.

This is the highest ranking the team has achieved since the CFP ranking began in 2014. 

The Hoosiers checked in at No.5 up three spots from the first round of No. 8 announced last week. 

While Indiana is fifth, it is currently projected to receive the No. 7 seed because it ranks ahead of a pair of projected conference champions - Miami (Florida) and BYU - that would receive automatic top 4 seeds with their conference titles. 

IU is projected to face No. 10 Alabama (7-2) in a first round-round game that would be played in Bloomington by virtue of IU being the higher seed. 

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer was Indiana's offensive coordinator in 2019. Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan held the same position at Indiana from 2020 to 2021 and Tide defensive coordinator Kank Wommack was IU defensive coordinator from 2019 to 2020.

Of course, all is current speculation. The season has to be played out. But for the time being the No. 5 ranking is the highest the Hoosiers have received in program history along with a perfect 10-0 record.

 Image copyright Indiana University Athletics

News copyright staff news services The Joournal Gazette 

IU c Michigan

The Wolverines (5-5, 3-4 Big Ten) had their lowest scoring total in the 70m game series since Indiana’s 14-10 victory in 1987, generated one TD in three red-zone trips and came up a yard short on fourth-and-10 with 95 seconds to play.

“The story of the game is not scoring in the red zone. You can’t get down there and have it first-and-6, first-and-7 and not score,” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said.

Kurtis Rourke was 17 of 28 with 206 yards as the Hoosiers (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten, No. 8 CFP), college football’s losingest program, beat college football’s winningest program, Michigan.

Michigan had a chance to tie the score after Kalel Mullings converted a fourth-and-goal into a 1-yard scoring plunge with 9:35 left, but Warren's 2-point conversion trickled through a defender's hands and out of the end zone. 

Indiana used a 22-yard punt return to set up its final score, a 42-yard field goal, before stopping Michigan on downs.

Sources:
The Helmet Project found here:
http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm
Photo © The B1G Network
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

ESPN game recap 

IU @ Michigan State

Indiana traveled to Michigan State looking to go 9-0 and set a new record for the best start in program history.

After posting an 87-0 first quarter advantage and never trailing in a game the Spartans drew first blood scoring on their first two drives to go ahead 10-0. The Hoosiers responded by posting forty-seven consecutive points to reclaim the Old Brass Spittoon.

Sources:

The Helmet Project found here:

http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm

Photo © The B1G Network

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums