Indiana's Biggest Winners and Losers From 47-15 Win Over Rutgers

Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe continued their dominance on the ground, but Indiana's blowout victory over Rutgers wasn't without a few areas of concern.

Oct 3, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Indiana Hoosiers defensive lineman Stephen Daley (9) celebrates a sick with defensive end Tobi Osunsanmi (12) during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Indiana football cruised to a 47-15 victory over Rutgers on Saturday night, improving to 5-0 behind another dominant performance from its rushing attack.

The Hoosiers had plenty to celebrate in their first road test of the season, including a career night from Turbo Richard and another strong showing from Indiana's defensive front. Still, a few concerns emerged, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

Here are Indiana's biggest winners and losers from Saturday night's win over Rutgers.

Winner: Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe

Indiana's two-headed rushing attack continues to be a nightmare for opposing defenses.

Richard and Beebe both eclipsed the 100-yard mark Saturday, led by a career-high 204 yards and a touchdown from Richard, who averaged a staggering 15.7 yards per carry.

Beebe followed up last week's 200-yard performance with another 122 yards and a score of his won.

Both backs have already surpassed 500 rushing yards through five games and are on pace to reach the 1,000-yard mark by Indiana's 10th game of the season.

🔥 7 CAR
🔥 148 YD
🔥 1 TD

Turbo Richard notches the most rushing yards in a first half for @IndianaFootball since 2015 🤩

Watch on BTN pic.twitter.com/mFb9ofDDDY

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 4, 2026

Winner: Indiana's young tight end room

Indiana's tight end room entered the season as arguably the biggest question mark on either side of the ball. No player in the group had more than one year of college football experience, and even those with a year under their belts had seen limited playing time.

There have been growing pains, but Andrew Barker, Trevor Gibbs and Brock Schott deserve credit for their contributions to Indiana's rushing success.

The tight ends didn't manage a single catch Saturday, but their work as blockers has been instrumental in helping Indiana establish one of the nation's most productive rushing attacks,

For a position group with so much uncertainty entering the season, Saturday was an encouraging sign.

Winner: Indiana's defensive front

Another week, another dominant showing from Indiana's defensive front.

The Hoosiers limited Rutgers to just 2.7 yards per carry while recording eight tackles for loss and four sacks, all of which came from defensive lineman.

Tobi Osunsanmi and Stephen Daley were among the standouts, while true freshman Blake Smythe recorded his first career sack. Smythe generated plenty of buzz throughout fall camp, and Saturday offered another glimpse of his potential.

Winner: Davion Chandler

Chandler's stat line won't turn many heads. The second-year wideout caught just two passes for seven yards, but one went for a score.

With fellow second-year wide receiver Lebron Bond still sidelined by injury, Chandler continues to make the most of his opportunites.

Davion Chandler extends the @IndianaFootball lead 💪

Watch on @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/V7Pdc7hDm5

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 4, 2026

Loser: Nicolas Radicic

Saturday was an uncharacteristcally difficult night for the reigning Big Ten Kicker of the Year.

Radicic entered the contest having converted 169 consecutive extra points, a program record and the second-longest streak in Big Ten history. That streak ended with a miss in the second quarter, and his struggles continued with a missed 22-yard field goal later in the period.

To his credit, Radicic bounced back with a successful 48-yard field goal in the second half, but it was still a rare night off for one of the nation's most reliable kickers.

Loser: Indiana's secondary

Finding glaring weaknesses in a 32-point victory isn't easy, but Indiana's secondary has shown some vulnerability through its first two Big Ten games.

Rutgers connected on a 53-yard touchdown pass in the second half, and backup quarterback AJ Surace completed six of his 10 attempts for 128 yards and a score.

Surace averaged 21.3 yards per completion, a concerning figure for an Indiana defense that has allowed an alarming number of chunk plays through the air in consecutive conference games.

Loser: Indiana's second-half defense

Indiana's defense has been nearly untouchable before halftime this season. Through five games, the Hoosiers have surrendered just six first-half points.

The second half has been a different story.

Rutgers scored all 15 of its points after halftime Saturday, bringing Indiana's season total to 48 second-half points allowed.

Indiana has been dominant enough to build comfortable leads, but the disparity between its first- and second-half defensive performances is becoming a trend worth noting.