Indiana football quarterback Kurtis Rourke gave a thankful message to the Hoosiers after the team's loss to Notre Dame. The program has a historic season and shocked the nation by qualifying for its first-ever Colleg Football Playoff. While Friday night's defeat was disappointing, first-year head coach Curt Cignetti has revitalized this program. Much of this team's success was due to Rourke, who was named Second-team All-Big-Ten and led one of the most prolific offenses in the country.

The now-Hoosier legend sent the fans a simple yet heartfelt message on Monday after Indiana's season ended.

Indiana football has had an unforgettable year

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti in the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium.
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Hoosiers showed exactly what's possible in this new era of college football. The twelve-team College Football Playoff now gives more programs the belief that they can contend for a national championship. That culture shock for the sport and the transfer portal promotes more parity. While 2025 could be a rebuilding year for Indiana, Curt Cignetti can definitely bring the program back to this stage again.

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The transfer portal is how the Hoosiers could go from three to eleven wins in one year. Cignetti signed 31 transfers this offseason, adding 48 newcomers overall to the roster. That included Kurtis Rourke, who previously played four years at Ohio. While Rourke had a solid career heading into Bloomington, 2024 was the grad transfer's best year by far. The Oakville, Canada native threw for 29 touchdowns and five interceptions, posting the fifth-best QBR in the country.

As much as pundits have railed against Indiana's strength of schedule, the Hoosiers have had several impressive performances throughout the year. Among those signature wins was a 56-7 drubbing of 5-1 Nebraska.

The Hoosiers additionally won at home against Michigan, a result Ohio State would love to have. Despite scoring only 17 points against the Fighting Irish, Curt Cignetti's team was second in the country in scoring offense. The Hoosiers averaged 41.3 points a game, signaling that the program has a blueprint for success in the future.

While qualifying for the College Football Playoff puts Curt Cignetti at a disadvantage in adding players during this transfer portal period, Indiana's head coach will be sure to retool his roster through the portal when the next window opens.

The vaunted Big Ten Conference will be stronger next year. Michigan is adding the top quarterback recruit in the country, Bryce Underwood. USC and Washington are due for better second seasons in their new conferences. Still, 2024 should be the beginning for the Hoosiers, and with Curt Cignetti as head coach, Indiana will continue to be relevant.