Indiana entered the Rose Bowl as just four point favorites, but left it with a statement made.
IU thoroughly controlled this game on both sides of the ball, with the offense and defense both playing exceptionally well.
With Kurtis Rourke slinging the ball all over the field, the defense holding the Bruins to an off-night offensively, the Hoosiers had a night to remember in Pasadena.
Penalties were the only issue all game for IU, something that coach Cignetti has been critical of all season but, besides that, the Hoosiers seemingly had a flawless game.
With that being said, here's how it happened:
KURTIS ROURKE LEADS THE PASS GAME ALL NIGHT
Kurtis Rourke followed up his great game against Western Illinois with possibly an even better one against UCLA.
The transfer from Ohio went 25-for-33, passing for 307 yards, coupled with 4 touchdowns.
This was an incredible game for the Hoosier QB, truly firing on all cylinders from the get go, with a very impressive first drive that included three key third down conversions, all converted by a Rourke pass.
He didn't stop there, as Rourke continued to throw the ball all over the field, completing passes to seven receivers throughout the game, a common theme throughout the season so far.
Miles Cross was a common target for Rourke throughout the game, he being a former Ohio Bobcat with Rourke, has continued his connection with his QB.
Beyond Cross, Rourke had TD throws to Omar Cooper Jr. and Ke'Shawn Williams , Williams catching two scores.
This truly was a sensational performance for Rourke, as he led his team to a statement win in his first Big Ten game.
DEFENSE STEPS UP AND DOMINATES
The offense wasn't the only unit that played great in this big win against UCLA, as the defense was sensational as well.
The Hoosier D held UCLA to 238 total yards and just 13 total points, numbers that the IU coaching staff are surely pleased with.
The defense was dominant even from the start, forcing a fumble on UCLA's first drive that led to an IU score to make it 14-0, a lead the Hoosiers never relinquished.
It's been a similar story all season, as the only bad drive the defense had all game was the last drive of the first half, allowing a touchdown, the only touchdown they allowed all game.
Other than this drive, the defense was completely in point. The pass rush was great, having two sacks and three tackles for loss, but also constantly pressuring Bruin QB Ethan Garbers.
The pass defense was also solid, picking off Garbers two times, although one was called back, while making sure that Garbers never had downfield options all game.
All this, coupled with a sound rush defense, while also holding the Bruins to just two field goals in the second half, led the Hoosiers to a dominant defensive performance and a statement win.
–––––
Like this content? Join the conversation on TheHoosier.com's premium message boards and subscribe today!
– Follow TheHoosier on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!
– Subscribe to TheHoosier on YouTube for more content
– Interact with fellow fans on TheHoosier's Premium Football Board and Premium Hoops Board
