After breezing though the non-conference slate, the Indiana Hoosiers are set to begin Big Ten play on Friday night against the Northwestern Wildcats. It will be the fourth consecutive home game for the Hoosiers, and the first road game for the Wildcats. Indiana is 3-0 with wins over North Texas, Howard, and Western Kentucky, while Northwestern 2-0 with wins over South Dakota State and Colorado.
Curt Cignetti's squad has looked impressive through three games, and while the Hoosiers are favored by a wide margin on Friday night, Northwestern will offer an uptick in competition. This matchup offers many intriguing storylines and several key players to follow. Here are four bold predictions for the Hoosiers in this Friday night showdown.
Tobi Osunsanmi records 2+ sacks
As a team, Indiana hasn't generated an overwhelming amount of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. In total, the Hoosiers have 7.0 sacks over the course of three games, with Tobi Osunsanmi tied for the team lead with 2.0. But that number could easily be higher. He's generated 6 total pressures, and Pro Football Focus grades him as the 16th best pass rusher in the country, which places him in the 99th percentile.
Osunsanmi possesses extreme quickness off the line and his athleticism makes him a matchup nightmare against just about anyone. He collected 6.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks in just 6 games last season before suffering a season-ending injury, and seems to be off to a strong start in Bloomington. Don't be surprised if he makes a significant impact in the Big Ten opener.
Indiana's D/ST scores a touchdown
Indiana may not need to fully rely on the offense to put up points, as both the defense and special teams units are capable of making big plays. Indiana's kick returning abilities have been rather impressive through three games. Turbo Richard already has a kick-off return of 67 yards, while Lee Beebe Jr has a 41-yard return. They have yet to break one for a touchdown, but it could just be a matter of time before that happens.
3 things Indiana can't afford to overlook against Northwestern
On the defensive side, the Hoosiers generated 30 total turnovers last season which was the third-most in all of college football. Many key returners are back this season, and they are already making an impact. Rolijah Hardy came up with a pick-6 against Howard. Isaiah Jones nearly had a pick-6 last week against Western Kentucky. Defensive coordinator Bryant Haines is one of the best in the business, and he figures to have a solid game plan in place to confuse Northwestern QB Aidan Chiles. If Chiles makes some ill-advised throws or is under duress early and often, Indiana's defense will be ready to capitalize.
Turbo Richard has another 100+ yard game with a touchdown
Turbo Richard has put together an eye-popping start to the season. In total, the Boston College transfer has racked up 315 yards and 4 touchdowns to go along with a whopping 7.7 yards per carry average. He has posted back-to-back 100-yard performances, and is coming off a 148-yard showing against WKU last week. He has scored a touchdown in every game this season, with two coming in the season opener against North Texas.
Northwestern's defensive secondary is strong, but the front-7 have some vulnerabilities that Richard should be able to exploit. Look for the Hoosier offensive line to pave the way for Richard to have yet another big game. Don't be surprised if the eclipses the 100-yard mark and find the end zone for a third straight contest.
Shazz Preston has his best game as a Hoosier (so far)
Charlie Becker is putting up ridiculous numbers. Nick Marsh is too. They are sure to draw most of the attention from Northwestern's talented secondary that includes a pair of stand-out safeties in Robert Fitzgerald and Damon Walters. With them patrolling the defensive backfield, deep throws down the field may not be as open as the Hoosiers want. That could open the door for a player like Shazz Preston to be more involved in the passing game.
Preston is off to a modest start this season. He has hauled in 5 catches for 81 yards, both of which rank third on the Hoosiers behind Becker and Marsh. After catching just a single pass in each of Indiana's first two games, Preston brought in 3 catches for 32 yards in Week 3 against WKU. With his chemistry with Hoover increasing, Preston could be in line for a bigger game that includes at least 4 catches and 40+ receiving yards.
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