And a big part of the Hoosiers’ success this season — including its first 10-0 start in program history, a top five ranking in the US LBM Coaches Poll and a projected top seven seeding in the latest CFP rankings — is Indiana starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke.
Even so, ESPN college football analyst Joey Galloway suggested on Tuesday’s CFP rankings show that Indiana should bench Rourke vs. No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday.
‘If we believe in what our metrics are saying, if I’m Indiana, I don’t know if I’m playing Rourke against Ohio State. We’ve seen what happened to Florida State last year with Jordan Travis,’ Galloway said Tuesday. ‘What could keep Indiana out of this (CFP)? Getting their quarterback hurt. We’ve seen it happen to Florida State last year, having not played anybody.’
Galloway, who played at Ohio State from 1991-1994, was alluding to undefeated Florida State being snubbed from the College Football Playoff last year after Jordan Travis went down with a season-ending injury in Week 12 against North Alabama.
Saturday’s game for Indiana is not only an important one not only for the Hoosiers’ odds to make CFP (in which they are currently slated as a No. 7 seed), but also for their path to the Big Ten championship game. A win against Ohio State on Saturday will likely give Indiana a spot in the Big Ten title game against No. 1 Oregon, where the winner receives an automatic bid and first-round bye in the CFP.
But Galloway’s statement of sitting Rourke didn’t end there, as he brought it back up later in the show when he stood at the big board alongside Rece Davis, Booger McFarland and Greg McElroy.
‘If I’m Indiana, I am protecting my quarterback,’ Galloway said.
Galloway’s suggestion immediately drew pushback from his colleagues, as McElroy said it would be a ‘culture killer’ if Indiana first-year coach Curt Cignetti decided to sit his starting quarterback in his team’s biggest game of the season.
Indiana is set to kick off against Ohio State at noon ET on Saturday in Columbus, Ohio, where Fox’s ‘Big Noon Kickoff’ and ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ will be set up for their Week 13 pregame shows.