Saturday, September 29
Piscataway, N.J.
Noon
Indiana University
at
Rutgers
Game Notes: Indiana Plays Big Ten Road Opener at Rutgers
9/25/2018 1:00:00 PM | Football
Setting The Scene
•Indiana (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) hits the road for the first time in conference action when it faces Rutgers (1-3, 0-1 Big Ten) at HighPoint.com Stadium (52,454; FieldTurf) on Saturday, Sept. 29. Kickoff is set for noon EDT on BTN.
•Saturday marks the fifth meeting between the Hoosiers and Scarlet Knights and the third in Piscataway.
•IU has won the last two games in the series on Nov. 5, 2016 (33-27, A), and on Nov. 18, 2017 (41-0, H).
•The teams have split the previous four contests and the two matchups at HighPoint.com Stadium.
•Indiana DL Joshua Brown (Hillsborough) and LB Michael McGinnis (Allentown) hail from New Jersey.
The Coaches
•Tom Allen was named Indiana's head coach on Dec. 1, 2016, and made his debut at the 2016 Foster Farms Bowl. The New Castle, Ind., native joined IU as associate head coach/defense on Jan. 15, 2016. Over his first two years, the Hoosiers were the most improved nationally in total defense and passing defense, the sixth-most improved in third down defense and the ninth-most improved in points per game allowed.
•Chris Ash is 7-21 in his third season as Rutgers head coach. Ash served as the defensive coordinator at Ohio State (co-, 2014-15), Arkansas (2013) and Wisconsin (2011-12) prior to his arrival in Piscataway.
News & Notes
•Indiana is looking for its first Big Ten road opening victory since Sept. 29, 2007, a 38-20 triumph at Iowa.
•The Hoosiers recorded two interceptions and two fumble recoveries against No. 24 Michigan State.
•Since Tom Allen's arrival in Bloomington in 2016 (29 games), IU has two four-takeaway, eight three-takeaway and 13 multi-takeaway games.
•Indiana is tied for first in the Big Ten (7th nationally) with nine takeaways (5 fumbles [1st in Big Ten, T-9th nationally], 4 INTs) and have scored 31 points off of its opponents miscues.
•The Hoosiers have allowed just three, 300-yard passers during Allen's tenure.
•Senior S Jonathan Crawford has had a hand in 18 career takeaways (9 interceptions, 6 fumble recoveries, 3 forced fumbles), including three this year (1 interception, 1 fumble recovery, 1 forced fumble).
•Sophomore WR Whop Philyor matched a career-high with 13 receptions for a career-high 148 yards, including a career-best 65-yard touchdown.
•Philyor's 13 grabs are tied for the fourth-most in program history. The Tampa, Fla., native is the only IU pass-catcher with two games of 13-or-more catches.
•Twenty-four IU freshmen (12 true, 12 redshirt) have seen the field in 2018.
•Indiana is the 19th youngest team in the country and the fourth youngest in the Big Ten. Seventy-seven of the 116 (66.4 percent) Hoosiers are underclassmen (55 freshmen - 31 true, 22 sophomores).
•Indiana (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) hits the road for the first time in conference action when it faces Rutgers (1-3, 0-1 Big Ten) at HighPoint.com Stadium (52,454; FieldTurf) on Saturday, Sept. 29. Kickoff is set for noon EDT on BTN.
•Saturday marks the fifth meeting between the Hoosiers and Scarlet Knights and the third in Piscataway.
•IU has won the last two games in the series on Nov. 5, 2016 (33-27, A), and on Nov. 18, 2017 (41-0, H).
•The teams have split the previous four contests and the two matchups at HighPoint.com Stadium.
•Indiana DL Joshua Brown (Hillsborough) and LB Michael McGinnis (Allentown) hail from New Jersey.
The Coaches
•Tom Allen was named Indiana's head coach on Dec. 1, 2016, and made his debut at the 2016 Foster Farms Bowl. The New Castle, Ind., native joined IU as associate head coach/defense on Jan. 15, 2016. Over his first two years, the Hoosiers were the most improved nationally in total defense and passing defense, the sixth-most improved in third down defense and the ninth-most improved in points per game allowed.
•Chris Ash is 7-21 in his third season as Rutgers head coach. Ash served as the defensive coordinator at Ohio State (co-, 2014-15), Arkansas (2013) and Wisconsin (2011-12) prior to his arrival in Piscataway.
News & Notes
•Indiana is looking for its first Big Ten road opening victory since Sept. 29, 2007, a 38-20 triumph at Iowa.
•The Hoosiers recorded two interceptions and two fumble recoveries against No. 24 Michigan State.
•Since Tom Allen's arrival in Bloomington in 2016 (29 games), IU has two four-takeaway, eight three-takeaway and 13 multi-takeaway games.
•Indiana is tied for first in the Big Ten (7th nationally) with nine takeaways (5 fumbles [1st in Big Ten, T-9th nationally], 4 INTs) and have scored 31 points off of its opponents miscues.
•The Hoosiers have allowed just three, 300-yard passers during Allen's tenure.
•Senior S Jonathan Crawford has had a hand in 18 career takeaways (9 interceptions, 6 fumble recoveries, 3 forced fumbles), including three this year (1 interception, 1 fumble recovery, 1 forced fumble).
•Sophomore WR Whop Philyor matched a career-high with 13 receptions for a career-high 148 yards, including a career-best 65-yard touchdown.
•Philyor's 13 grabs are tied for the fourth-most in program history. The Tampa, Fla., native is the only IU pass-catcher with two games of 13-or-more catches.
•Twenty-four IU freshmen (12 true, 12 redshirt) have seen the field in 2018.
•Indiana is the 19th youngest team in the country and the fourth youngest in the Big Ten. Seventy-seven of the 116 (66.4 percent) Hoosiers are underclassmen (55 freshmen - 31 true, 22 sophomores).
Players Mentioned
DL
/ Football
DB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ FootballFB: Inside IU Football with Curt Cignetti - Week 5 (at Iowa)
Thursday, September 25
FB: Under the Hood with Indiana Football - Week 5 (at Iowa)
Wednesday, September 24
FB: Pat Coogan Media Availability (9/23/25)
Tuesday, September 23
FB: Aiden Fisher Media Availability (9/23/25)
Tuesday, September 23