Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said Monday he remains 鈥渙ptimistic鈥� starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke can return to the lineup for Saturday's game at Michigan State.
Rourke had surgery on his last Monday and missed last weekend's .
are tied with No. 1 Oregon for the league lead. No. 3 Penn State also is one of the eight remaining unbeaten teams but has played one fewer conference game.
Rourke, a quarterback from Oakville, Ont., now in his sixth college season, transferred from Ohio University to Indiana this season following an injury-plagued 2023 season with the Bobcats. Rourke also suffered a season-ending knee injury late in 2022 but was still selected as the Mid-American Conference's MVP. But the thumb injury that knocked Rourke out at halftime of a doesn't look like it will sideline him much longer.
鈥淥ptimistic on Kurtis Rourke, he鈥檚 thrown the last few days, building up,鈥� said Cignetti, the first FBS coach to post back-to-back 8-0 starts at different schools. 鈥�(His) workload will increase as the week goes on. That鈥檚 all I鈥檓 going to say about it.鈥�
If Rourke doesn't play, would make his second straight start. Jackson went 11 of 19 with 124 yards, one TD and one interception while also running for a score as Indiana matched the 1967 Rose Bowl team for the best start in program history.
Indiana could reach 9-0 for the first time by beating the Spartans (4-4, 2-3) and claiming the Old Bass Spittoon.
Cignetti believes the Hoosiers will be in good hands 鈥� regardless of who starts behind center.
鈥淭here was good and bad,鈥� Cignetti said when asked about Jackson. 鈥淗e鈥檚 got to build on the good and eliminate the bad. He鈥檒l have a good film session with Coach (Tino) Sunseri (Monday) evening. Like everybody else, better, worse, never stay the same 鈥� need to be better.鈥�
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Michael Marot, The Associated Press
