The 4-0 Indiana Hoosiers are set to battle the 1-3 Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday night in Piscataway. It will be the first road game of the season for the Hoosiers, and the first time IU will face Rutgers in the Curt Cignetti era.
3 players Indiana is relying on most against Rutgers in Week 5
Rutgers is off to a rough start, and this is a very winnable game for Indiana. Heading into Week 5, here are three bold predictions that will define the Hoosiers' Big Ten matchup against the Scarlet Knights on Saturday.
Indiana covers the spread for the first time this season
Indiana won its first four games of the season by an average of 33.8 points per game. That is an impressive number, but it hasn't been enough to cover the spread. That is very uncharacteristic of a Cignetti-led team in Bloomington. Indiana entered the 2026 season with a strong 19-10 record against the spread with Cignetti at the helm, but is 0-4 against the spread so far this season.
Heading into this matchup against Rutgers, Indiana is favored by 24.5 points via DraftKings Sportsbook. Oddsmakers have confidence in IU's ability to control this contest, and the Hoosiers still have a large talent advantage in this one.
Plus, the Northwestern gave could have served as a wake up call for the Hoosiers in Big Ten play. Look for Cignetti to have his team well-prepared to control this game from start to finish en route to a lopsided win. My official score prediction at this time is Indiana 51, Rutgers 21, meaning the Hoosiers would cover the spread for the first time this season.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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KJ Duff is held to his lowest receiving yardage total of the season
This is a very bold prediction, folks. Rutgers WR KJ Duff is the real deal. Through four games, the 6'6" 225-pound electric playmaker has racked up yardage totals of 196, 137, 86, and 131. He's brought in 29 catches and ranks 4th in the country with 550 receiving yards and is tied for the NCAA lead with 7 receiving touchdowns. Duff is a big-play threat on every play, and is already garnering plenty of First Round NFL Draft hype.
The IU defense has a big challenge ahead trying to contain Duff, but with defensive coordinator Bryant Haines leading the way, the Hoosiers should have a solid game plan in place. Haines is among the brightest defensive minds out there, and with Duff as Rutgers' only real concerning threat, the Hoosiers should be able to hone in on him from the start. Cornerback Jamari Sharpe has plenty of experience, and other playmakers such as Jaylen Bell and Amare Ferrell are capable of giving Duff some problems.
Given his off-the-charts talent, completely shutting down Duff is probably unlikely. But if the Hoosiers can hold him to a stat line something along the lines of 6 catches for 80 yards, that could be considered a win. Just don't let him go crazy.
Josh Hoover throws for 300+ yards for the first time as a Hoosier
Indiana's top-four running backs have different injury designations for Week 5, which is extremely worrisome for the Hoosier offense. Turbo Richard is listed as probable, but he is coming off a high ankle sprain in the Northwestern game and may not be at a full 100%. Khobie Martin has already been ruled out, while Lee Beebe Jr. and Sean Cuono are listed as questionable. With so many question marks in Indiana's RB room, Josh Hoover could be asked to air the ball out more than usual.
Through four games, Hoover has thrown for 231 yards against North Texas, 145 yards against Howard, 273 yards against Western Kentucky, and 201 yards against Northwestern. He figures to take on a bigger role in Week 5, and will face a Rutgers' passing defense that ranks 12th in the Big Ten by allowing 194.3 yards per game through the air despite facing some poor offenses.
Hoover is completing over 70% of his passes, and has already shown great chemistry with both Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh. Rutgers' passing defense will have its hands full, and Hoover should be expected to take full advantage. All in all, Hoover seems to be in a strong position to exceed the 300-yard mark for the first time as a Hoosier.
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