The Indiana Hoosiers football team received a tough blow Saturday morning with reports indicating that wide receiver Elijah Sarratt is unlikely to play in the Hoosiers’ Week 11 Big Ten matchup against the Penn State Nittany Lions.
The senior standout, who leads Indiana in touchdown receptions and yards per catch, suffered a hamstring injury during last week’s win over the Maryland Terrapins. He appeared limited during pregame warmups Saturday prior to kickoff, raising concerns about his availability.
Daily Hoosier’s Seth Tow shared on X (formerly Twitter) that he observed Sarratt on the sideline with his helmet on but not participating in team activities. Tow wrote, “Sarratt has his helmet on, but isn’t doing much activity after stretching. He doesn’t look like a guy who’s playing today. Indiana could be down its top wide receiver today against Penn State. #iufb”
Minutes later, On3’s Pete Nakos also confirmed via the platform that the senior wideout would not be active for the noon kickoff against the Nittany Lions. “Appears that Indiana WR Elijah Sarratt will not go against Penn State,” he posted.
Head coach Curt Cignetti has taken a cautious approach with his leading receiver, emphasizing long-term health as the Hoosiers pursue back-to-back 10-0 starts.
Without Sarratt, Indiana will rely more heavily on Omar Cooper Jr., E. J. Williams Jr., and sophomore Charlie Becker, who has seen increased reps in practice this week.
Despite Sarratt’s absence, Indiana remains a clear favorite against a Penn State defense that has consistently struggled to contain opponents. The Nittany Lions have allowed at least 24 points in each of their last five games, including 38 to the Ohio State Buckeyes and 42 to the UCLA Bruins.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza is expected to lead Indiana’s balanced offense, which ranks second nationally in scoring and remains among the top ten in red-zone efficiency.
As the Hoosiers prepare for this pivotal game, all eyes will be on how they adjust without their top wide receiver and whether they can maintain their strong unbeaten start to the season.
https://clutchpoints.com/ncaa-football/indiana-football-news-elijah-sarratt-unlikely-play-penn-state
