Rutgers 1, No. 2 Indiana 0: Di Ponzio finishes the rebound, and the shot count backs the upset

Francesco Di Ponzio stayed with the rebound and gave Rutgers the goal that ended No. 2 Indiana's unbeaten start. The Scarlet Knights won 1-0 in Piscataway on Friday. The official box score records the unassisted finish at 72:24, one second after his preceding shot. Rutgers' account describes a blocked first effort and a right-footed finish toward the far post.

Eight on target, not one isolated chance

The revealing comparison is shots on target: Rutgers eight, Indiana one. Rutgers also led total attempts 14-9. Indiana's goalkeeper made seven saves; Rafael Ponce de Leon made one for Rutgers. A one-goal scoreboard can conceal very different games. Here, the on-target count supports a stronger reading than a favorite losing to the home side's only chance.

That is not the same as a possession or expected-goals claim. Indiana won the corner count 9-4, a reminder that it still created set-piece situations Rutgers had to defend. Those categories measure different things. The official record supports Rutgers' greater volume of on-target attempts and a clean sheet, not a claim that Indiana never threatened.

A signature result with another test ahead

Rutgers identifies the victory as its highest-ranked win under Jim McElderry and its first over Indiana since the 2022 Big Ten championship game. It is also a second top-three scalp this season after a win at No. 3 Ohio State. Those are meaningful reference points for a team now 6-6-1 overall and 4-3 in the Big Ten. They are not a championship clinch or a new national ranking.

Indiana leaves 11-1-2 overall and 4-1-1 in conference play. Rutgers' next listed match is at Penn State on Tuesday, October 20, at 7 p.m. Eastern. The follow-up is straightforward: carry the ability to generate on-target chances into another conference game. Friday supplied a signature result. It did not finish the season's work.