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Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said Monday he remains “optimistic” starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke can return to the lineup for Saturday’s game at Michigan State.

Rourke had surgery on his injured right thumb last Monday and missed last weekend’s 31-17 victory over Washington.

The 13th-ranked Hoosiers (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) are tied with No. 1 Oregon for the league lead. No. 3 Penn State also is one of the eight remaining unbeaten teams but has played one fewer conference game.

Rourke, a Canadian now in his sixth college season, transferred from Ohio University to Indiana this season following an injury-plagued 2023 season with the Bobcats. Rourke also suffered a season-ending knee injury late in 2022 but was still selected as the Mid-American Conference’s MVP. But the thumb injury that knocked Rourke out at halftime of a 56-7 victory over Nebraska doesn’t look like it will sideline him much longer.

“Optimistic on Kurtis Rourke, he’s thrown the last few days, building up,” said Cignetti, the first FBS coach to post back-to-back 8-0 starts at different schools. “[His] workload will increase as the week goes on. That’s all I’m going to say about it.”

If Rourke doesn’t play, third-year quarterback Tayven Jackson would make his second straight start. Jackson went 11 of 19 with 124 yards, one TD and one interception while also running for a score as Indiana matched the 1967 Rose Bowl team for the best start in program history.

Indiana could reach 9-0 for the first time by beating the Spartans (4-4, 2-3) and claiming the Old Brass Spittoon.

Cignetti believes the Hoosiers will be in good hands — regardless of who starts behind center.

“There was good and bad,” Cignetti said when asked about Jackson. “He’s got to build on the good and eliminate the bad. He’ll have a good film session with Coach (Tino) Sunseri (Monday) evening. Like everybody else, better, worse, never stay the same — need to be better.”

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Padres vs. Dodgers (Jun 16, 2025) Live Score – ESPN

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Padres vs. Dodgers (Jun 16, 2025) Live Score - ESPN

Shohei Ohtani made his pitching debut from Dodger Stadium on Monday, giving up a run in his lone inning of work, then struck out in his first plate appearance as Los Angeles’ DH, marking the first time he has pitched and hit in a game since Aug. 23, 2023.

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Source: Steelers extend S Elliott on 2-year deal

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Source: Steelers extend S Elliott on 2-year deal

The Pittsburgh Steelers and safety DeShon Elliott have agreed to a two-year, $12.5 million extension with $9.21 million guaranteed, a source confirmed to ESPN.

Elliott, 28, was one of the Steelers’ best run defenders last year with 2 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 4 tackles for loss and 108 combined tackles.

NFL Network first reported the deal.

A former sixth-round pick, Elliott spent his first four seasons in the league with the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions before joining the Miami Dolphins for one year.

The Steelers signed Elliott as a free agent to a two-year deal before the 2024 season.

He has 395 tackles in 72 career games.

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Ex-Ohtani interpreter reports to federal prison

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Ex-Ohtani interpreter reports to federal prison

Ippei Mizuhara, the disgraced former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, is in federal prison in Pennsylvania, a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons told ESPN on Monday.

Mizuhara, 40, was ordered to surrender to federal authorities by Monday. He is in custody at Federal Correctional Institution Allenwood Low, a low-security facility, after being sentenced to 57 months in prison for stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani.

Mizuhara was initially ordered to report to prison in March, but a federal judge granted the delay. The reasons for the delay remain under seal.

Mizuhara’s attorney declined ESPN’s request for comment, but previously stated that he expects Mizuhara, a Japanese citizen, to eventually be deported.

The Dodgers fired Mizuhara in March 2024 after an ESPN investigation revealed he sent millions in wire transfers from Ohtani’s account to an illegal bookmaker. He pleaded guilty to bank fraud and filing a false tax return in June 2024, admitting that he placed about 19,000 bets with the bookie over a two-year period and accumulated over $40 million in debt.

The bookmaker, Mathew Bowyer, pleaded guilty in August to running an illegal gambling business, money laundering and subscribing a false tax return. He is awaiting sentencing.

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