FOOTBALL GAMEDAY: Michigan State (Week 8)

Setting The Scene

• After two games on the road, No. 3/3 Indiana returns home for Homecoming on Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium for a 3:30 p.m. ET kick against Michigan State on Saturday.
• The two programs first played in 1922, with the first edition of the Old Brass Spittoon rivalry taking place in 1950. Indiana has won three of the last five meetings.
• Michigan State leads the all-time series, 50-19-2. Indiana won last year's matchup, 47-10, in East Lansing. The 37-point differential marked the largest margin of victory for the Hoosiers in the series.
• This will be the 15th consecutive season the two programs face off, dating back to 2011, and the 67th time for the Old Brass Spittoon.

News & Notes

• The 17 victories since the beginning of the 2024 season are the most in any two-year span in program history and rank tied for No. 5 nationally over that span. The 11 Big Ten wins during that span are tied for the most in a two-year stretch in IU history. MORE ON PAGE 5
• Indiana is 6-0 to start a season for the third time in program history after a 30-20 win at No. 3/2 Oregon (10/11) in Week 7. It is the second-straight season Indiana has started 6-0 to mark just the first time in program history consecutive seasons were started at 6-0 or better.
• Indiana's win in Eugene is its second-ever win over a top-5 opponent (No. 3 Purdue, 1967) and the first over a top-5 opponent on the road.
• The Hoosiers are 37-27-1 all-time as a ranked team, which includes a 30-20-1 mark in Big Ten play.
• Indiana's win snapped Oregon's previously nation-leading 18-game home winning streak at Autzen Stadium.
• Oregon had allowed just 1.0 sack entering the game and Indiana finished with 6.0 sacks in the game. It was the most by a team against Oregon since Ohio State in the 2024 College Football Playoff (8.0).
• The Indiana defense held Oregon to its fewest yards of total offense under head coach Dan Lanning and fewest yards since 2021 (Utah; 221).
• Fernando Mendoza threw for 215 yards on 20-of-31 passing with a touchdown at No. 3/2 Oregon. He threw the go-ahead touchdown pass to Elijah Sarratt on an 8-yard connection to give Indiana a 27-20 lead with 6:23 left. MORE ON PAGE 8
• Roman Hemby had his fifth multi-rushing touchdown and sixth multi-touchdown game of his career with his two scores against the Ducks. With 25 yards receiving he is now the only active FBS player with 2,500 yards rushing and 1,000-yards receiving in his career. MORE ON PAGE 9
• Elijah Sarratt has a catch in all 44 games of his career and is the nation's active leader for consecutive games with a reception. Sarratt had the go-ahead touchdown reception in the fourth quarter at Iowa in Week 5 and at Oregon in Week 7. MORE ON PAGE 10
• Sarratt is tied for first in the Big Ten with seven receiving touchdowns and Omar Cooper Jr. is tied for No. 3 with six.
• Aiden Fisher had his 10th career game with double-digit tackles, racking up 13 stops and a career-high 1.5 sacks. His efforts against the Ducks earned him Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. MORE ON PAGE 13
• Rolijah Hardy recorded the first double-digit tackle game of his career with 12 tackles. MORE ON PAGE 13
• Isaiah Jones had his first career interception when he picked off Dante Moore in the fourth quarter. He also tied a career-high eight tackles and marked back-to-back weeks with eight stops. MORE ON PAGE 13
• Jones leads the Big Ten in tackles for loss (10) and is tied for second in the conference in sacks (5).
• Louis Moore had his second consecutive game with an interception when he picked off Dante Moore in the fourth quarter. MORE ON PAGE 16

GAME 7

Setting The Scene

News & Notes

Week 8 Links