IU quarterback wins Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week

ROSEMONT, Ill. (WISH) — After a controlling victory over UCLA 42-19 on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl Stadium, IU quarterback Kurtis Rourke has been named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week.

Rourke threw for 307 yards and four touchdowns in the victory, including a perfect nine for nine passing on third down for 128 yards. Eight of the completions went for a first down or a touchdown.

Rourke’s four touchdown passes were the most by an Indiana quarterback since Michael Penix Jr., who threw for four touchdowns against Ohio State in 2020.

Rourke is the first Indiana player to be named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week since running back Stevie Scott III in 2020 against Maryland. IU won three straight Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week awards that season, with wide receiver Ty Fryfogle winning back-to-back awards in the two weeks before Scott III.

The last IU quarterback to win the award was Nate Sudfeld in 2015 against Purdue.

The Indiana win against UCLA was its first road win against a Big Ten team since 2022 and the largest margin of victory in a road win (29 points) since 2001, when Indiana beat Wisconsin on the road by 31 points.

After the win against UCLA, Indiana is now 3-0. The game between IU and UCLA was the only Big Ten conference matchup of the week.

Indiana will play their last non-conference game of the season on Saturday against Charlotte at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. The game will kick off at noon.