Indiana’s 4-0 start to the Curt Cignetti era comes with all the caveats of an easy nonconference schedule.
But Indiana has faced light early season slates before, and the stats these 2024 Hoosiers have posted through four weeks are still quite impressive, irrespective of the competition.
Some of the headline numbers are historic.
For example, IU’s 202 points through four games are the most in any four-game stretch in program history. The previous best was 183 points in 2015 (Week 11 through bowl game). Indiana was the first FBS team to eclipse the 200-point mark in 2024.
It took the Hoosiers just four games to pass 200 points this season. They passed 200 points in game 12 in 2021, game 9 in 2022, and game 10 in 2023.
IU scored 50-plus points in multiple games in the same season for just the seventh time in program history. They are currently averaging more than 50 points a game, while limiting opponents to an average of less than 10 (202 – 37 overall, 50.5 – 9.3 average).
Indiana has scored on its opening drive in three consecutive games, and sustaining long drives has become a trend with Mike Shanahan’s offense. IU has 13 touchdown drives of 70 or more yards through the first four games.
Indiana posted 500 total yards of offense Saturday for the second time this season. It is the first time since 2019 that Indiana logged 500-plus yards of offense in multiple games.
The Hoosiers have still not committed a turnover this season, while taking it away seven times. And they still haven’t dropped even one pass — a third of the way through the season.
At Pro Football Focus, Kurtis Rourke (71-of-95, 74.7%, 1,013 yards, 8 TDs, 0 INT) is the third-highest graded passer in the nation on the season among QBs with 100 drop backs.
The six rushing touchdowns IU had vs. Charlotte mark just the third time since at least 1996 that IU has scored six-or-more rushing touchdowns in multiple games in a single season.
All of that has led to not much to do for All-Big Ten punter James Evans. After averaging 67 punts a season (5.6 per game), Evans has only punted four times the entire 2024 season thus far.
And it’s not just the offense. With just 256 yards of total offense allowed versus Charlotte, the 2024 defense is the first IU team since at least 1996 to allow fewer than 300 yards of total offense in four straight games.
And now on the line, a chance to move to 5-0 for the first time since 1967. IU has moved up to No. 15 in ESPN’s FPI, which gives them a 66.9% chance to win their next game vs. Maryland (3-1). The Hoosiers are around a touchdown favorite to beat the Terps according to the early line.
Via the NCAA, here’s where Indiana ranks nationally in the main statistical categories through four games:
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