Indianapolis, IN

Should the Big Ten Championship Game stay in Indianapolis? Fans weigh in

Published

1 year ago

December 2, 2023

Should the Big Ten Championship Game stay in Indianapolis? Fans weigh in

INDIANAPOLIS — Now retired, Michigan fans Glenn and Elizabeth Pluhar have time on their hands. Time to follow the Wolverines to their third-straight Big Ten championship.

“We’ll always try to make it here when Michigan is here,” Elizabeth Pluhar said.

The Pluhars live a couple hours north of Ann Arbor, which is a four-hour drive to Indianapolis. They haven’t had a chance to come he for the championship game before this year, but so far, Indianapolis has exceeded expectations.

“I’m amazed at how clean the city is,” Glenn Pluhar said. “It looks like there’s a lot to do, although we didn’t have the luxury of spending a lot of time here because we drove in.”

Indianapolis has hosted the Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium since its inception in 2011. With Washington, Oregon, UCLA, and USC joining the conference next year, though, the Big Ten said it will consider bids from a variety of cities — including on the West Coast.

More: What happens in Vegas… may not be the Big Ten football championship game.

Ahead of the Big Ten Championship Game between Michigan and Iowa on Saturday, IndyStar talked to Michigan and Iowa fans outside the stadium

The two fanbases agreed on one thing: They don’t want the Big Ten Championship Game to move to the West Coast, whether that be Las Vegas, Southern California, or anywhere else.

“Indy has a good reputation of putting on a good show for events,” Michigan fan Jake Castle said. “It’s also a good neutral site.”

Proximity was one of the main factors Castle likes about Indianapolis as a host — no matter what current Big Ten team makes the championship, he said, it’s within the same part of the country.

Dave Rozendaal, an Iowa fan who now lives in Missouri, also likes the proximity. Iowa City is about five and a half hours from Indianapolis; where Rozendaal lives is about seven hours.

“It’s an easy, easy drive to get here,” Rozendaal said. “There’s lots of room to spread out, and it’s a wonderful venue.”

When it comes to the Big Ten Championship Game, Michigan fan Joe Feliz doesn’t think there is any competitive advantage with the West Coast teams potentially coming to the Eastern side of the country.

“I think it’s pretty even for them to get into the Big Ten championship game,” Feliz said. “They would have already had to beat teams on the east coast, and I don’t think having it here would be a big enough advantage for one of the original Big Ten teams.”

And before the game can come to the West Coast, Rozendaal thinks those teams need to prove themselves.

“I know that they’re bringing in those schools from the West Coast, so I’m sure that’s what’s helping make that decision,” Rozendaal said. “I think, still, if they’re going to come to the Big Ten, they need to come to the Midwest.

“Let’s let them develop and get into the conference first, and then if they have good years of work here, so be it.”

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Indianapolis, IN

Analyst Says Colts’ O-Line No Longer Elite

Published

3 hours ago

January 20, 2025

Press Room

Analyst Says Colts’ O-Line No Longer Elite

The Indianapolis Colts finished an unmemorable 2024 campaign with plenty of disappointment after missing the playoffs for a fourth straight year. While the defense looked rough under Gus Bradley, the offense wasn’t the greatest in year two of Shane Steichen.

While Indy finished 13th in the NFL in overall yards per game (334.8), they concluded in the bottom half in points per game at 17th (22.2). Many eyes were on quarterback Anthony Richardson’s performance, but the offensive line was the biggest constant with mainstays like guard Quenton Nelson, center Ryan Kelly, and tackle Braden Smith.

However, Pro Football Network‘s Ben Rolfe believes the Colts’ protection isn’t what it used to be, ranking the position group 15th in the NFL in their recent article ranking all 32 offensive lines.

The Indianapolis Colts’ OL is no longer the elite unit it once was. It still has some good players, but it lacks high-level talent across the board.
– Ben Rolfe | Pro Football Network
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To Rolfe’s point on the aforementioned ‘mainstays,’ minus Nelson, Kelly (67.0) and Smith (66.2) didn’t post the best offensive grades from Pro Football Focus and might show signs of regression. However, to say the Colts’ offensive line lacks talent is a bit of a stretch.

Indianapolis took the third and fourth rounds of the 2024 NFL draft to select Matt Goncalves (third-rounder) and Tanor Bortolini (fourth-rounder). With multiple injuries on the line, both had opportunities to start and gather valuable NFL experience in the trenches.

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Goncalves saw 563 snaps at both tackle positions, while Bortolini logged 348 at center. While neither played out of this world in their rookie campaigns, they were solid in their starting roles and have bright futures.

Yes, the Colts can push backups who saw action and underwhelmed like guard Dalton Tucker or tackle Blake Freeland, but the Colts have young names developing into possible starter-level talents.

Tony Sparano Jr.’s unit protected quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Richardson well, allowing 32 sacks as a team, which was tied for the seventh-fewest in 2024. Flacco’s immobility did help account for 12 of the sacks, but overall, Indy did fine to shore up their field generals.

As for run-blocking, it all stands out in running back Jonathan Taylor’s metrics. The Pro Bowler accumulated 303 carries for 1,431 rushing yards (4.7 average) and 11 rushing scores. While it’s fair to say Taylor is an elite back, he can’t always generate four-plus yards a tote without a line that creates the lanes.

The Colts can always afford to add more skillsets to their offensive line unit. Given that the injury rate is guaranteed at the pro level, it’s smart to have capable players backing up the starters. Luckily for Indianapolis, quarterback Richardson avoids sacks well and can get out of the pocket effectively.

Look for the Colts to continue emphasizing adding depth to the offensive line. While free agency and the draft are ahead, so are difficult decisions for Chris Ballard and Co. on Kelly, Fries, and Smith. We’ll see who they let walk and possibly re-sign, for the 2025 campaign.

Want more Colts content? Check out the latest episode of the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast!

Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and X, and subscribe on YouTube for multiple Colts live-stream podcasts per week.

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Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis opens overnight warming center amid ‘dangerous’ winter chill

Published

11 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Press Room

Indianapolis opens overnight warming center amid ‘dangerous’ winter chill

The National Weather Service warns that temperatures could reach as low as negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit. - Farah Yousry/WFYI — The National Weather Service warns that temperatures could reach as low as negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
*Farah Yousry/WFYI*

Indianapolis extended the availability of an overnight warming center citing dangerous winter conditions.

An extreme wind chill is forecasted to barrel toward Central Indiana Sunday night, with the temperature expected to reach zero degrees Fahrenheit by Monday morning.

The warming center will be open Sunday, Jan. 19 through 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22.

The National Weather Service released a hazardous weather advisory, warning that “very cold temperatures are expected with wind chills up to 20 below zero.”

These will be “bitter cold conditions,” the advisory read.

People in need of shelter during the winter freeze, such as people experiencing homelessness, can find the warming center at Washington Park Family Center. No check-in is required.

All Indy Parks Family Centers will serve as warming centers during regular business hours, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Office of Public Health and Safety published a map that shows the locations of shelters, warming centers, and more.

People in need of help can visit the Mayor’s Action Center online or 211 for directions to a warming center or other services.

Contact WFYI data journalist Zak Cassel at zcassel@wfyi.org.

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Indianapolis, IN

Bundle up! Indiana to see more bitter cold, dangerous wind chills this week

Published

18 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Press Room

Bundle up! Indiana to see more bitter cold, dangerous wind chills this week

Light snow flurries in Indianapolis early Sunday signaled an approaching arctic air mass that could bring dangerous wind chills as low as -20 degrees across Indiana in the coming days.

Bitterly cold temperatures are forecast across Indiana from 7 p.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Wednesday, according to a cold weather advisory issued by the National Weather Service.

By Monday, the daily high is expected to drop near 10 degrees, with wind chill indexes cold enough to cause frostbite on exposed skin within just 30 minutes.

The NWS urges Hoosiers to cover all skin when going outdoors and to bring pets inside. When traveling, wear several layers and bring extra blankets in case of an emergency.

“That cold air will continue to filter in and we’re going to be below zero for overnight lows tonight,” NWS Indianapolis meteorologist Randy Bowers told IndyStar. “For the next few days, we’re going to be quite a bit colder than normal.”

Indiana’s weather colder than normal

At the peak of the cold blast, Central Indiana temperatures will be 25 to 30 degrees below typical levels, Bowers said. The average high this time in January is 36 degrees, while the overnight low is around 20 degrees.

Here’s the latest NWS forecast through Wednesday:

Sunday, Jan. 19: Scattered snow showers before 1 p.m., then scattered flurries. Mostly cloudy, with temperature falling to around 14 by 5 p.m. By tonight, ambient air temperatures will be as low as -1 and wind chill values as low as -14.
Monday, Jan. 20: Sunny and cold, with a high near 12. Wind chill values as low as -14. Monday night’s low is around 3.
Tuesday, Jan. 21: Mostly sunny but even colder than Monday, with a high of 8 degrees. Tuesday night’s low is -3.
Wednesday, Jan. 22: Mostly sunny with a high near 22. Wednesday night’s low is 17.

Will it snow in Indiana this week?

Little to no snowfall is forecast over the next week. On Sunday, a band of snow swept across Central Indiana and counties east of Indianapolis. Visibility could be poor for drivers, with rapid snow accumulations of a few tenths of an inch.

“There really is not a good chance of precipitation for the next seven days,” Bowers said. “Kind of a dry pattern. It’s mainly just cold.”

Weather info you need

🚨 Indiana Weather Alerts: Warnings, Watches and Advisories.

⚡ Indiana power outage map: How to check your status.

💻 Internet outages: How to track them.

🚫 What you should and shouldn’t do when the power is out.

🐶 Your neighbor left their pet outside. Who you should call.

Warming shelters around Indianapolis

People can find information about warming shelters via the city’s winter contingency plan or by calling 211. Emergency warming shelters will be available during harsh weather conditions through March 31.

Indy Parks Family Shelters will be open to all during normal business hours, which can be found at this link.

More: Freezing cold is here. Where to stay warm and find overnight shelter in Indianapolis.

Email IndyStar Housing, Growth and Development Reporter Jordan Smith at JTsmith@gannett.com. Follow him on X: @jordantsmith09

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