BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Stephen Daley, a defensive end for the No. 1 ranked Indiana football team, is anticipated to miss the upcoming College Football Playoff following an injury sustained during the celebration of the Big Ten championship. Coach Curt Cignetti announced this news on Wednesday.
“I can confirm that he did sustain an injury, a serious injury that will probably make him not available for the remainder of the season,” Cignetti stated, expressing that he was unaware of Daley”s injury until after the game had concluded.
A video shared on social media captured the moment Daley appeared to land awkwardly on his right leg while high-fiving fans shortly after the Hoosiers secured a hard-fought 13-10 victory against Ohio State. This win marked Indiana”s first Big Ten title since 1967 and their first outright championship since 1945, achieving a perfect 13-0 record for the first time in program history. Additionally, this victory secured Indiana”s second consecutive playoff berth.
The top-seeded Hoosiers earned a first-round bye and will face either No. 8 Oklahoma or No. 9 Alabama in the Rose Bowl on January 1. Daley, who transferred from Kent State this season, was not heavily recruited out of his home state of Virginia but quickly became an integral part of the team. Throughout the season, he recorded 38 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 5 1/2 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one pass breakup, earning all-Big Ten honorable mention honors.
Cignetti reflected on the situation, stating, “I was still processing the whole thing because it was sort of unbelievable when I heard about it,” which he commented on during a press conference on Sunday. He had initially believed the team had no injuries from the game itself.
