Indiana football’s first seven games of the season were filled with electricity and an unmatched buzz on campus. That buzz, or “rat poison” as Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti calls it, grew astronomically Oct. 20 when it was announced that ESPN’s College GameDay would be in Bloomington on Saturday.
College GameDay, the flagship pregame show on Saturday mornings, had Indiana fans camping out as early as Friday afternoon, trying to find their way on television. It was the first time the show came to Bloomington. The only problem — Indiana would be without its starting quarterback, Kurtis Rourke.
Rourke, the sixth-year senior quarterback, suffered a thumb injury during the first half against Nebraska on Oct. 19 that caused him to miss Saturday’s game. With Rourke’s leadership role being vacant, the Hoosiers needed a spark on offense.
They got that spark from fifth-year senior running back Justice Ellison, who has been one of the biggest factors in the Indiana offense. “He runs super hard, he practices super hard,” backup quarterback, redshirt sophomore Tayven Jackson said postgame. “I’m so proud of him and I feel so confident when he’s back there.”
After picking up 129 rushing yards against the Huskies, Ellison is now up to 637 on the ground this season, making him the conference leader in yards per game. He has now scored a touchdown in seven straight games, giving him nine on the year –– a mark that leads the team. The two rushing touchdowns from Ellison and Jackson, who scored from two yards out in the fourth quarter, secured the Hoosiers’ spot with the second most rushing touchdowns in college football with 30, just one behind Army West Point.
With Rourke out, the offense looked out of sync in the pass game. It quickly became evident that the offense wouldn’t be as dominant with Jackson at the helm, meaning Indiana was going to rely heavily on its rushing attack with Ellison and seventh-year senior Ty Son Lawton. However, Lawton “had a little tweak and didn’t feel like he was 100%,” Cignetti said postgame. As a result, Ellison ran the ball 29 times –– the most of his collegiate career.
It was the most he’s carried the football since 2022 with Wake Forest University. There, he rushed 21 times against the University of Missouri in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl, and 21 again when College GameDay was on site for Wake Forest’s loss to Clemson University.
Ellison had a slow first half with just 21 yards on nine carries, but he came alive out of the break. In the second half alone, when the Hoosiers needed someone to step up, Ellison had four third down carries that resulted in a first down. His grit and ability to fight for extra yards was a key part of Indiana’s victory. Without Ellison, the Indiana offense would have never found its way in the second half, ultimately lifting the Hoosiers over the Huskies.
When the Hoosiers have needed a player to step up in the limited adversity they’ve faced this season, someone has answered the call every time. It was Rourke against Maryland on Sept. 28, it was junior receiver Elijah Sarratt against Northwestern on Oct. 5 and today it was Ellison.
These performances, week in and week out, have been the backbone of this Indiana team.
While social media continues to harp on big offensive performances, the first 8-0 start since 1967 and the new Cignetti quote for the week, the Hoosiers are finding ways to win. Their depth is unmatched in the Big Ten because no matter how much talent is on the other team, competitors will never have the number of pieces to keep up with all of the Hoosiers’ playmakers. It is the number one reason they run every team they play off the field, case in point with Ellison.
However, he wasn’t looking to soak in the glory by his lonesome.
“Hats off to the (offensive line), man, they kept battling,” Ellison said postgame. “It wasn’t a lot of big runs, but it really showed resilience on this football team. I’m so proud of the guys and I’m thankful to be a part of this great team.”
There are more than enough veteran guys filling out Indiana’s roster. But when it comes to finding a better leader in those players that have been around for at least three years, Ellison is towards the top of that list.
The players love him, the coaches love him and the fan base loves him. And the love is well deserved because he has fully embraced being a Hoosier during his lone season in Bloomington. From his on the field play, to how he handles everything off of it, Ellison is a true leader in every aspect of the word.
“It’s nowhere near about Justice Ellison because it’s not about me at all,” Ellison said. “It’s about this team.”
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and columnist Jhett Garrett (@jhettgarrett) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
