BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WNDU) – No. 13 Indiana relied on a new winning combination Saturday: power running, ball control and defense.

It worked perfectly.

Tayven Jackson threw a touchdown pass and ran for another in his first start of the season, and the Hoosiers turned two D’Angelo Ponds interceptions into touchdowns as they pulled away from Washington 31-17 despite only five passes in the second half on Saturday.

“Pretty good,” coach Curt Cignetti said when asked how it felt to have tied Indiana’s 1967 Rose Bowl team for the best start in school history . “Offensively, we adjusted and got the ball out there.”

Jackson started in place of injured starter Kurtis Rourke (right thumb) and went 11 of 19 with 124 yards, a touchdown and an interception while scoring on a 2-yard run early in the fourth quarter to give Indiana a 31 -14 with 8:55 to play in front of another sold-out crowd and a second straight visit from a network’s studio crew.

The Hoosiers (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) did not disappoint, earning their eighth straight double-digit win to stay atop the league standings. Justice Ellison rushed 29 times for 123 yards and a score.

The Huskies (4-4, 2-3) have lost three of four games and have yet to win away from home this season. Will Rogers finished 19 of 26 for 202 yards with two interceptions. Jonah Coleman had 19 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown.

“We only had four offensive possessions in the second half, so it was a little strange,” Huskies coach Jedd Fisch said of the sequence that cut the deficit to 17-14. “We had the interception to start the second half and two plays later we score. That’s when you have to stop, but they went eight minutes, nine minutes the other way and got a touchdown and that’s tough.

It was an unusual match from the most successful team in the country. Indiana failed to surpass the 40-point mark for the first time since its season opener, although it still hasn’t trailed this season.

Instead, Indiana let the defense set the tone.

Ponds picked off Will Rogers’ sixth throw of the day and returned it 65 yards for a 7-0 lead. Three series later, Ponds intercepted Rogers again. Jackson took full advantage with a 42-yard TD pass to Omar Cooper Jr.

Washington responded with a 6-yard TD run from Giles Jackson only to see the Hoosiers close the half with a 19-yard field goal to make the score 17-7.

Indiana put it away with Ellison’s 5-yard run in the third quarter and Jackson’s late score.

Takeaways

Washington: The defense played well. That’s not the case with Washington’s offense. Until coach Jedd Fisch’s team gets both units working in sync — on the same day — it’s going to be tough.

Indiana: With Rourke out, the Hoosiers faced their biggest challenge yet, and they passed the test thanks to strong play and opportunistic defense.

Survey Implications

The Hoosiers will be watching which teams ahead of them lose, if any, in hopes of moving into the top 10 after an eighth straight double-digit victory.

To be continued

Washington: Hosts another Big Ten newcomer, Southern California, next Saturday.

Indiana: Visit Michigan State next Saturday in the Battle for the Old Brass Spittoon.

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