BLOOMINGTON — Entering week five, the biggest knock against Indiana football was its lack of a real test.

The Hoosiers steamrolled through their first four weeks of the 2024 season. But that group included just one Power Four opponent — UCLA, which was expected to finish in the bottom half of the Big Ten — and one of the worst FCS teams in the country in Western Illinois. IU looked excellent in those games, and set itself up well for the rest of the year. But those teams rarely, if ever, forced Indiana to face difficult moments. And the schedule was always going to get tougher, particularly in the second half of the season.

Indiana was tested on Saturday for the first time this season, by both wet and windy conditions and a tough Maryland team. And it wasn’t completely smooth. The Hoosiers faced real adversity, something entirely foreign to them before this game. But they cleared those obstacles and passed this test, rather convincingly. Their 42-28 win at Memorial Stadium gave IU (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) its best start since 1967.

“There were a lot of good responses in that game. The defense responded to offensive turnovers. The offense responded to touchdowns given up by the defense. We responded more than they did,” IU head coach Curt Cignetti said after the game. “There was really a lot that went on in that game. There’s no doubt about it. Winning is good because it deepens belief in confidence and success, which leads to confidence and belief, which leads to success. You’ve still got to put the work in, but strengthens that confidence and belief.”

Maryland (3-2, 0-2) presented Indiana with plenty of challenges. Billy Edwards Jr. is the best quarterback Indiana’s faced so far this season. Wide receiver Tai Felton led the Big Ten in receiving entering Saturday by over 300 yards. UMD’s defensive line is the biggest and deepest IU has seen so far.

The Terrapins aren’t the best team on the Hoosiers’ schedule this season, but they came into the season expecting to contend for a fourth straight bowl game. This was Indiana’s first opportunity to truly prove itself and show that the undefeated start isn’t because of a soft schedule, but because this is just a good football team. And IU did exactly that. The offense played with physicality and explosiveness that Maryland couldn’t match. The defense made things difficult for Edwards, kept Felton quiet before he left the game with an injury in the third quarter, and mostly shut down Maryland’s run game.

“Coach (Bryant) Haines talks about it: we haven’t really been tested as much as we’d like so far,” linebacker Aiden Fisher said. “We kind of prepare that we’re going into war each week, and we got that today.”

Matchup aside, the Hoosiers had to overcome adversity in this game. As well as they’d played through the first four weeks, they had not yet needed to show their mettle. But that changed quickly Saturday, when quarterback Kurtis Rourke threw interceptions — Indiana’s first turnovers of the season — on IU’s first two possessions of the game.

Rourke said he was still able to grip the ball well despite the bad weather. The giveaways were simply uncharacteristic mistakes for the Ohio transfer and his offense. But he didn’t dwell too long on those plays and moved on quickly. Indiana’s defense pitched three-and-outs after both turnovers, and after Maryland’s second punt, Rourke led the offense on a 12-play, 83-yard touchdown drive.

“He responded like I kind of felt like he would. I didn’t think he’d be flustered by the two interceptions, and he wasn’t,” Cignetti said. “He’s a grizzly old vet.”

Indiana committed two more turnovers after the early interceptions, on fumbles by running back Kaelon Black (second quarter) and Rourke (fourth quarter). IU’s defense stepped up in those situations — Maryland didn’t pick up a single first down on its four possessions after turnovers.

The Hoosiers defense played well, on the whole. But they, too, weren’t perfect. Maryland racked up 401 yards of total offense on Saturday — none of IU’s first four opponents topped 260. And Indiana made a few crucial mistakes that could’ve changed the game.

During the second quarter, the Terps faced second and 31 at their own 41-yard-line after three straight penalties and an Indiana tackle for loss. But a clear pass interference on cornerback Jamier Johnson squandered Indiana’s strong positioning and brought Maryland back to first and 10. Two plays later, UMD receiver Kaden Prather blew past IU cornerback D’Angelo Ponds for a 33-yard touchdown that tied the game, 7-7.

Later, during the third quarter, the Terps took over at their 25-yard-line after IU regained a 21-14 lead on a Justice Ellison touchdown run. But their possession didn’t last long. On the first play, Terps running back Roman Hemby took a handoff through a big hole in the Indiana defense and ran, untouched, 75 yards for a touchdown.

Moments like that can swing momentum in games. But IU’s defense regrouped quickly after those mistakes: the next Maryland drives after both touchdowns ended in three-and-outs.

This is how good football teams perform. Perfection is an impossible standard; these players are human, and mistakes happen. Bad teams allow errors to compound and turn into bigger problems. Good teams correct their problems and quickly move on from them.

Plenty of teams have the talent to win, but lack the mentality and attention to detail that winning requires. And plenty of teams do those little things correctly and approach games the right way, but are overpowered and overmatched against superior opponents.

Indiana’s performance against Maryland, with the way it responded to adversity time after time, adds to a growing case that this team has both the talent and mettle to turn this 5-0 start into a special season.

“Everyone kept their heads up on the sideline, people still communicating, no one put their heads down. We responded,” defensive end Mikail Kamara said. “We had turnovers, we had the one-play touchdown and things like that, where that’s usually when losing teams would probably get down on themselves, start arguing, and that’s when the gap opens up. But we handled it really well.”

For complete coverage of IU football, GO HERE. 

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CLIVE — U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn said Saturday that the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating complaints against a shadowy group of operatives that recruited candidates to run in Iowa’s highly competitive congressional districts.

As Iowa and national Republicans rallied voters at the Horizon Events Center in Clive to re-elect the first-term congressman representing Iowa’s 3rd District, Nunn again raised concerns about the Associated Press’ report on the Patriots Run Project. The AP found the group worked in at least six congressional races — two in Iowa — to recruit independent spoiler candidates to divert votes from Republicans.

Joe Wiederien, a fervent supporter of former President Donald Trump from Scranton, said operatives with the group worked to get him on the ballot for the 3rd District seat. He withdrew his name from the ballot.

“When you try and steal an election by taking advantage of guys like Joe or any Iowans in this room, I don’t care what your party, we fight back,” Nunn said.

Little is known about the true identities of the operatives behind the effort, prompting Americans for Public Trust, a nonprofit conservative government watchdog organization, to file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission. The complaint alleged that the Patriots Run Project violated campaign finance law by failing to register as a political committee and file disclosure reports. The nonprofit called for an investigation into the group and the people behind it.

Wiederien told the Des Moines Register at the event Saturday that DCI officials have interviewed him and he’s provided authorities with more information about his contact with the operatives.

“I think it’s getting down to the bottom of it,” Wiederien said.

The revelation that an investigation is underway topped off Nunn’s remarks focused on the need to keep spending down, cut taxes and secure the southern border amid a record influx of migrants.

Nunn is seeking a second term in office after he flipped the seat from Democratic control in a close 2022 race that was decided by about 2,000 votes. The 3rd District covers 21 counties in south central Iowa, including the Des Moines metro area, Winterset, Osceola and Ottumwa.

“The stakes in November could not be higher,” Nunn said. “We are but a handful of votes in Congress away from losing control of our economy, the border and our future. It’s important that we win the Senate and we have the opportunity to win the White House. We never forget about the people’s house. You are at the crossroads right now of making sure this happens.”

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, the Marion Republican representing Iowa’s northeastern 2nd District, said “the left is so intimidated by Zach,” referring to the Patriots Run Project’s ploy.

“They will stop at nothing,” Hinson said. “They will literally stop at nothing to try to take back power. We have a shared vision, and our vision is to return power to you.”

Competition close in race for Iowa’s 3rd District congressional seat

Nunn and other speakers touted his military record at the second annual “Operation Top Nunn: Salute to the Troops” fundraiser.

Nunn last year was promoted to colonel in the U.S. Air Force, four ranks from general. He served almost two decades as an airborne intelligence officer, according to his U.S. House website. He flew recon missions off the coast of China and Russia. After 9/11, Nunn was deployed to the Middle East three times.

His opponent, Democrat Lanon Baccam, a former U.S. Department of Agriculture official, also has highlighted his military background on the campaign trail. Baccam was a combat engineer in the Iowa National Guard from 1998 to 2006, where he earned the rank of corporal. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2004.

A Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll conducted earlier this month found that more likely Iowa voters favor a Republican candidate over a Democrat in three of the state’s four congressional districts. Southeast Iowa’s 1st District was the only area where likely voters preferred a Democrat.

In the 3rd District, the Iowa Poll found 52% of likely voters prefer a Republican, while 44% favor a Democrat. Four percent say they are not sure.

Republicans currently hold all four congressional seats, but Democrats and Republicans are heavily targeting Iowa’s 1st and 3rd District races as the parties wrestle for control of Congress. Cook Political Report has rated the two races as “lean Republican,” but political forecasters with Inside Elections have most recently rated the contests as a “toss up.”

U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who is looking to stave off competition from Democrat Christina Bohannan in the 1st District, told the crowd that Nunn is “the fighter you want in Congress.”

“The Democrats are pouring money into Zach’s race, my race, and they’re recruiting people from anywhere to run against us,” Miller-Meeks said. “Why? Because they think they can lie and buy their way into Congress and the White House.”

The Baccam and Bohannan campaigns have said they were not involved in and had no knowledge of the Patriots Run Project’s candidate recruitment efforts.

Abortion could be major issue in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in a statement Friday said the Inside Elections ratings switch signaled Baccam is gaining momentum as women voters “are learning more about Nunn’s anti-abortion record.” Baccam is running ads criticizing Nunn’s response in a 2022 Republican primary debate when he raised his hand after being asked if he believed all abortions should be illegal, with no exceptions. 

Nunn has said this year that he does not support a federal abortion ban and believes states should decide abortion policy. 

As a state legislator in 2018, Nunn voted for a six-week abortion ban, dubbed the “fetal heartbeat” law that prohibits most abortions after cardiac activity is detectable, which can occur as early as six weeks of gestation.

The 2018 law is similar to the ban that took effect in July, which Iowa lawmakers passed in 2023 when Nunn was in Congress. Both versions, including the one Nunn supported, make exceptions for cases of rape, incest and when the procedure was necessary to save the pregnant person’s life.

Republicans emphasize need to secure border, slash federal spending

U.S. Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, a U.S. Air Force veteran, asked members of the crowd if they wanted to see Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, elected president.

“No,” the crowd of about 350 responded.

Pfluger called on the crowd to nudge their friends and neighbors to vote for Nunn, a “battle-tested” servant who he said understands family values and put his life on the line to defend the country. With 38 days until the election, Pfluger said voters had to keep Nunn in Congress.

“It’s going to be less than 10,000 votes that separates us from having the majority in the House of Representatives or going back to (former House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi or (House Minority Leader) Hakeem Jeffries,” Pfluger said. “… Just 10,000 votes. You’re at the epicenter.”

Pfluger condemned “border czar Kamala Harris” for the high number of undocumented immigrants crossing the U.S-Mexico border and said border policies have “ravaged” states like Texas. Republicans have seized on Harris being asked by President Joe Biden to explore the root causes of migration from Central America. Despite the moniker, he did not task Harris with overseeing border security.

Nunn told reporters after the event that supported a Republican-backed border bill that passed the House last year but wasn’t taken up in the Senate. He has complained that the Senate didn’t vote on its own bipartisan border deal. Senate Republicans blocked the bill after Trump urged them to reject it.

Families are feeling the pinch of “Biden inflation,” raising the cost of necessities such as groceries and housing, Nunn told the crowd. He warned of what would happen if Democrats controlled tax policy as cuts enacted in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are slated to expire.

“We’ve had the opportunity to have that American dream by making sure that your tax dollars are given back to you,” Nunn said.

Democrats hit Iowa’s GOP congressional delegation for campaigning without a new farm bill

Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart in a statement lambasted the state’s GOP congressional delegation for campaigning instead of focusing on negotiations for a new farm bill. The important five-year legislation expired in 2023 and was extended through this month. It’s slated to expire Monday, though funds will largely last through the end of the year.

The farm bill authorizes financial and infrastructure support for farmers and rural areas. It outlines terms for the federal government’s nutritional efforts such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and authorizes crop insurance.

Negotiations stalled as the parties disagreed over scaling back spending on nutritional programs and funding more subsidies to large commercial growers.

“Our legislators should be more concerned about supporting production agriculture, promoting soil conservation and feeding hungry kids than they are about going home to campaign,” Hart said in a statement. “This has been the most do-nothing Congress in history and it’s time to send new leaders to Congress who will harvest a bipartisan farm bill for the benefit of the Iowans they serve.”

Nunn told reporters after the event that he had asked for the farm bill to come for a vote before leaving town, but saw opportunity to advance negotiations in the lame-duck session.

“We all know it takes two parties to tango on this, and the reality is the Senate hasn’t even so much as drawn down on a napkin” what its plans will be, Nunn said.

Marissa Payne covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. Reach her by email at mjpayne@registermedia.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @marissajpayne. 

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Aric Almirola crashed Victory Lane in the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoff opener Saturday at Kansas Speedway for his second victory of the season.

Almirola, the 40-year-old former Cup driver running a limited Xfinity schedule for Joe Gibbs Racing, has six career Xfinity victories, also winning at Martinsville in April. He won three Cup races.

Almirola, Cole Custer and Chandler Smith dueled over the final 40 laps, with Smith leading most of the way. Custer passed Smith for the top spot with 10 laps to go, and Almirola made the final pass with three laps left.

Custer was second, his first top-10 finish at Kansas Speedway. Smith was third, followed by Connor Zilisch and playoff driver Sheldon Creed.

Regular-season champion Justin Allgaier started the race atop the points standings. He left with his season in jeopardy after a wreck on Lap 70. He spun out exiting Turn 2, slid down the racetrack and hit the inside wall hard. Allgaier tried to return to the race, but a flat left front tire and loss of brakes ended his day in 36th place. It was the fourth straight race that Allgaier was involved in an accident.

“We’re not out of it by any stretch,” Allgaier said. “That’s why you work so hard in the regular season, to get all the bonus points you can. But I’ve got a long next two weeks.”