Indiana QB Kurtis Rourke out indefinitely with right thumb injury

Indiana Hoosiers starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke will be out indefinitely with an injured right thumb, the team announced Sunday.

Rourke was injured during the first half of Saturday's 56-7 rout over Nebraska when his hand hit the helmet of a Cornhuskers defensive player.

No. 13 Indiana (7-0, 4-0- Big Ten) hosts Washington (4-3, 2-2) next weekend as it tries to remain atop the Big Ten standings while matching the best start in school history at 8-0.

Now, though, they'll have to do it with third-year quarterback Tayven Jackson behind center. Jackson, who transferred from Tennessee before the 2023 season, played the second half Saturday and was 7-of-8 with 91 yards and two TDs after Indiana had taken a 28-7 halftime lead. Jackson has been a fan favorite since returning to his home state and is the brother of former Indiana basketball star Trayce Jackson-Davis, an All-American.

Rourke is tied for the Big Ten lead with 15 TD passes while throwing for 1,941 yards. He's second in the conference in completion percentage (74.6%) and had won the Big Ten's offensive player of the week award twice this season.

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He's also dealt with injuries previously, suffering a season-ending knee injury in 2022 — an injury that continued to bother him last season, his final year at Ohio University. Still, Rourke was selected as the 2022 Mid-American Conference MVP.

Reporting by The Associated Press .

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