Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images Bob poe · Sportswire Miami Sun, November 15, 2026 at 11:35 AM UTC · 2 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No. 9 Indiana needed a spark to fix its postseason resume, and fill-in quarterback Grant Wilson delivered it in a 27-13 victory over No. 18 USC. The Hoosiers had struggled to score points or move the ball since late October, but the team looked like a complete unit on Saturday night. After taking over for the injured Josh Hoover, seventh-year player Wilson, who had not started since 2024, immediately pushed the offense to be more aggressive.
Coach Curt Cignetti made the call to start Wilson on his way home from the Oct. 31 road trip against Minnesota. "He pulled me to the side while out there at practice, and he goes, 'You're going to go with the ones,' and then turned around and walked away," Wilson said of the moment he learned he was the starter per ESPN . The offense threw deep right from the opening drive.
Indiana had been playing too conservatively for the last two weeks, a style that Cignetti admitted the team hated. "We've been kind of playing in the tent, so to speak, the last two weeks, conservative," Cignetti said. The team immediately looked downfield, with Wilson's first completion going for 47 yards to Shazz Preston.
"We took some shots there on the first drive, kind of set the tone for the game, got them to back up a little bit, play their shell, and then we got them to switch out of it," said Wilson per ESPN. Nine of his 17 completions gained at least 12 yards, showing that the offense was willing to take risks to win.
Wilson finished with 305 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, leading the Hoosiers to their best win of the season. The passing game gave the offensive line a break from constant run-blocking duties, which helped the entire unit play with more confidence. Khobie Martin also helped the ground game after missing the first half of the season with an injury.
Despite the win, Cignetti did not promise that Wilson would keep the starting job. "What he's been going through is tough," Wilson said about Hoover. "I don't wish that on anyone. … He's gone through so much with his shoulder. He's a great teammate."
Source: Sports
0 Comments