Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

College Football Playoff Team Loses QB After Crushing Loss

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By J.C. Shelton | Last updated Dec 21, 2024 7:19 PM ET

Indiana's heartbreaking first-round loss to Notre Dame on Friday night was followed by an early exit by a former Hoosiers starting quarterback.

First-year head coach Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers put together a historic season for the program in 2024, winning 11 games in a season for the first time in school history. Indiana had won nine total games in the preceding three seasons before Cignetti turned things around in a big way.

But the first College Football Playoff appearance for Indiana did not play out in favor of the No. 10 Hoosiers (11-1), as No. 7 Notre Dame moved to 12-1 on the season with a decisive 27-17 win in South Bend, Indiana.

After staying with the team for the playoff, Indiana backup quarterback Tayven Jackson entered the transfer portal on Saturday, according to On3's Pete Nakos.

Jackson (6-foot-4, 212 pounds) will look to play elsewhere after previously transferring from Tennessee in 2022.

The redshirt sophomore appeared in nine career games for the Hoosiers, including five starts. He passed for 1,263 yards with six touchdowns to six interceptions while adding four touchdowns on the ground.

The Greenwood, Indiana, native initially signed with Tennessee as a four-star recruit in the 2022 class. Jackson was rated as the No. 13 quarterback in his class, per 247Sports Composite Rankings.

With starter Kurtis Rourke eligible for the 2025 NFL draft and the news from Jackson, Cignetti and Co. are left, for now, with freshman Alberto Mendoza, a three-star signee in the 2024 class.

Cignetti and the Indiana staff signed 31 transfers out of the portal in the 2024 cycle and may look for another option at quarterback with the season over.

The winter window will range through Dec. 28 before the spring window opens from April 16-25.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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