**Indiana Dominates Nebraska Despite Quarterback Kurtis Rourke's Injury**

BLOOMINGTON - Indiana's football team secured a commanding 56-7 victory over Nebraska, but the win was somewhat overshadowed by an injury to their star quarterback, Kurtis Rourke. Late in the second quarter, Rourke suffered a thumb injury after making contact with the helmet of an opposing player. Although he remained on the field for a few more snaps, Rourke did not return after halftime.

After the game, Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti provided an update on Rourke's injury. "I know people are going to ask me about Kurtis Rourke," Cignetti stated. "I thought he played really well in the first half. He had a thumb on a helmet, nail kind of came off. We'll know more tomorrow, but optimistic."

Rourke's absence led to backup quarterback Tayven Jackson stepping up to fill the role. Jackson, who is the sole holdover from Indiana University's 2023 quarterback roster, took over after Nebraska threw an interception to Shawn Asbury II with 7:35 left in the third quarter. Jackson made an immediate impact, completing his first six pass attempts and helping IU to double their halftime lead.

Before his injury, Rourke was making a strong case as a potential Heisman candidate, boasting top-tier numbers in several major passing categories. Through Indiana's first six games, he averaged 292.0 yards per game, ranking 11th in the FBS, with a completion percentage of 73.8%, the third-best nationally. He also tied for 13th with 14 touchdown passes. In the game against Nebraska, Rourke threw for 189 yards (17 of 21) with a touchdown and an interception, the latter occurring on a Hail Mary attempt to close the first half.

Coach Cignetti praised Rourke's performance in the game. "I thought he played really well," Cignetti said. "Made plays. Ran a little bit, too. The wideouts made some catches. He threw some nice balls on those back shoulders, and those wideouts made some real nice catches."

Indiana went into halftime with a 28-7 lead, thanks to an explosive offensive display. The team accumulated 343 total yards in the first half, including 154 rushing yards at a rate of 9.6 yards per carry, and executed six plays of 20 yards or more against Nebraska's formidable defense.

Kurtis Rourke's older brother, Nathan Rourke, also a former quarterback at Ohio University, is currently playing in the Canadian Football League with the British Columbia Lions. This season, Nathan has completed 136 of 209 passes (65.1%) for 1,781 yards, with four touchdowns and nine interceptions.