“I had some things that minimize the pain [before the] start of the game, but yeah, it was definitely a little bit sore with every throw. But it was something that I knew was going to come and I wanted to play through, because you don’t get a chance to play football a lot”. That is what Indiana (9-0) QB Kurtis Rourke said to the media when asked about his broken thumb. Rourke injured it in Week 8 and also missed Week 9 rehabilitating from surgery. Fast forward to this weekend, normal service resumed, and he threw for 4 TDs as Indiana crushed MSU 47-10. Rourke’s heroics have earned him intensified consideration for the sport’s most prestigious accolade.

CFB’s Cinderella story- Curt Cignetti’s Indiana Hoosiers. The team continues to thwart dialogue from August as they march on towards the playoffs against all odds. Speaking of odds, Rourke’s Heisman Trophy odds saw massive line movement in favor of the redshirt senior. He’d escalated to +10000 after injury kept him out indefinitely, but a swift return to action and a seamless performance through issues with his throwing hand saw Rourke jump to +2200.

Kurtis has been on the periphery of the Heisman conversation for a few weeks now. Since Cignetti brought him in through the portal, he has 19 TDs and a mere 3 INTs through 8 games. Indiana boasts the No. 1 offense in the Big Ten. It has taken time for the masses and oddsmakers alike to wake up to what’s been going down in Bloomington all season. Slowly but surely, Cignetti and Co. are receiving their dues.

Miami Hurricanes’ (9-0) Cam Ward still leads the Heisman race and is showing no signs of letting up. He threw for 400 yds and 5 TDs as Miami put up 53 points on Duke this weekend. Travis Hunter was on a bye this weekend and remains the only non-QB in the fray. Hunter’s two-way prowess has earned him the co-sign of some of the biggest names in college football. Dillon Gabriel remains firmly in the picture, too.

Kurtis Rourke has his work cut out for him if he is to make inroads within these names. He will have to continue proving the naysayers wrong, as will Indiana as a collective. An opportunity presents itself in Week 11.

Hoosiers prepare to face their biggest test so far

Indiana hosts Sherrone Moore and his Michigan Wolverines (5-4) at Memorial Stadium on November 9. Although Michigan is struggling and nowhere near the same challenge they were last year, it is still a massive program with the potential to win any given Saturday simmering across the team. Beating Michigan in front of a national audience would go a long way for Curt Cignetti.

Oddsmakers favor Indiana by a little more than a touchdown (-7.5). Indiana trailed for the first time all season in their last game vs MSU. Coming over that adversity will give Cignetti’s outfit more confidence, but also shows they’re vulnerable. Michigan will look to spark some life into their flailing season with an upset.

As for the Heisman, Kurtis Rourke is still a long shot. However, nobody believed he could get this far when he moved over from Ohio. As long as the team continues to win and he shoulders their forte of scoring bulk points, he’s in with a shout. Watch this space.