The clock showed zero. Indiana football’s 109-man roster wasted no time.
Led by redshirt junior cornerback JoJo Johnson and redshirt sophomore receiver Omar Cooper Jr., the Hoosiers charged to the northeast corner of Memorial Stadium, arms in the air, high fiving the front row of a raucous student section.
Indiana’s 42-28 victory over Maryland on Saturday afternoon pushed the Hoosiers to 5-0 for the first time since 1967. It also served as validation for Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti, who has clamored for better fan attendance on multiple occasions and saw it pay off Saturday.
“It’s extremely valuable,” Cignetti said postgame. “Players feed off that energy. Look, it's all about energy, right? You've got to have energy to do anything, and the fans are supplying the energy, and the players are feeding off that energy.”
Perhaps no play illustrates Cignetti’s point better than Indiana blocking Maryland’s punt with one minute remaining in the fourth quarter. Chants of “Hoosier Daddy” rained down from the student section before the snap.
Afterward, euphoria — from redshirt junior defensive back Bryson Bonds, fifth-year senior receiver Andison Coby and several others skipping and jumping back to the sidelines.
The game, for all intents and purposes, was over. But the students, some of whom were shirtless in the rain-soaked stands, hadn’t left early. It was a stark contrast to Indiana’s 31-7 victory over Florida International University on Aug. 29, when Cignetti mentioned the fans’ halftime exit during his opening statement.
This time, Cignetti sang a different tune — though he still wants more.
“You could feel the fans out there,” Cignetti said. “I'm glad they keep improving in the attendance area. I thought that was a good turnout, and good is the enemy of great, so let's have a great turnout. Let's sell it out next week or next time we're at home and figure out how to make it even louder.”
Such a mindset is central to Cignetti’s goal of eliminating satisfaction, even when things go well. On Saturday, there were plenty that didn’t.
Indiana’s offense, which had zero turnovers entering the day, totaled four against the Terrapins. Sixth-year senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke tossed interceptions on the team’s first two drives and lost a fumble in the fourth quarter. Redshirt junior running back Kaelon Black fumbled during a second quarter run.
Through the first four games, the Hoosiers’ defense held opponents to an average of 9.3 points and 199 yards per game, both ranking top 10 nationally. Maryland finished with 28 points and 401 yards from scrimmage.
But Indiana’s defense made plays when needed most. In the fourth quarter, the Terrapins went just 2-of-6 on third down and 0-of-3 on fourth. Maryland scored only once despite possessing the ball five times over the final 15 minutes.
That trend started the first play of the fourth frame. On 3rd and 3, Maryland redshirt junior quarterback Billy Edwards Jr.’s pass to redshirt freshman receiver Nolan Ray fell incomplete, electrifying the Hoosier faithful and forcing the Terrapins to punt on 4th and 3.
Indiana redshirt junior defensive end Mikail Kamara said the crowd’s presence powered the defense to its strong finish.
“As a defender, when all that crowd noise is going, you're not really thinking,” Kamara said. “You're going out there, playing and reacting, so it kind of makes the play faster. And then now we're just hitting, and once we make a play, everyone's screaming — like that adrenaline just keeps flowing.”
Indiana’s official attendance was 48,323 — its largest of the season, including a Week 3 trip to the Rose Bowl against UCLA. The surge in filled seats came one day after Cignetti sent automated texts and emails urging student ticket bundle holders to attend the game and stay for its entirety.
There was a slightly larger presence than usual in the moments before the game’s 12:01 p.m. kickoff. But as the first quarter progressed, the Hoosiers’ 12 sections of student seating grew packed.
Indiana faced true adversity for the first time this season on Saturday. It was tied with one minute left in the third quarter, and the game was within one possession in the fourth quarter. The Hoosiers experienced a level of game pressure they haven’t yet this year.
And with the help of the crowd — and Cignetti’s proactive message — Indiana delivered a significant Week 5 victory.
“Shoutout to them,” junior receiver Elijah Sarratt said postgame. “I think Coach Cig sent a message out, and they responded. So shoutout to them. It’s all love — we wouldn’t have been able to have pulled out that win without them.”
The Hoosiers were No. 27 in the Sept. 22 Associated Press poll. With another convincing victory over a Big Ten school, it’s possible they’ll be ranked heading into their Oct. 5 matchup against Northwestern. It would mark Indiana’s first ranking since Week 1 of 2021.
Cignetti, who was the first coach in program history to start his tenure 4-0 and added another tally to his win total Saturday, has flipped the Hoosiers’ trajectory. They were 2-3 after five games last year, yet they will exit September unblemished this season.
And as Indiana’s on-field play ascends, fan attendance should follow. On Saturday, it did.
“I don't know how many points it's worth, but it's really important,” Cignetti said. “I think we got everything moving in the right direction here.”
Cignetti believes so much he sent a follow-up email to fans after the game. The message?
“On behalf of the entire IU football program, I have two words for the IU student body,” Cignetti wrote. “Thank you.”
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and columnist Jhett Garrett (@jhettgarrett) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
