In a primetime matchup, teams will always look for ways to capture momentum, especially with a sold-out crowd that can explode at any given play. Those specific moments can be a dream come true for star players on the gridiron.
On Saturday against No. 9 Illinois, it would be All-American cornerback D’Angelo Ponds who created one of those moments. But, not in the way you’d think.
Across college football, it’s not often you see star-caliber players see snaps consistently on special teams. Usually, the coaching staff leaves those duties to backups. But we certainly haven’t seen the typical from Curt Cignetti in his short Indiana tenure. At times, he will leave his starting defensive playmakers in place, hoping to create some havoc.
D’Angelo Ponds would be the more notable of the sort. Last season against Michigan State, Ponds blocked a punt for a safety, which would give Indiana a big momentum boost on their way to a 47-10 victory in East Lansing.
Inside Memorial Stadium this time, Ponds would put points on the board on special teams once again to supercharge what would turn out to be a 63-10 Hoosiers blowout win.
“We were talking about it all week,” Ponds said postgame on Saturday. “In big games, I just like to make plays for the team. I felt like that was a big play, and I just did my job.”
After an empty offensive drive deep in their own territory, Illinois was forced to punt, leaving an opportunity for IU to send some pressure. Ponds stayed out with the punt team and was left unmarked on the edge.
The rest is history.
Ponds got both hands on the ball coming off the leg of Illinois punter Keelan Crimmins, and sent it back the other way. It took him a split second to find it, and he had to fight off Crimmins in the process, but he did enough to give Indiana its first score of the game.
D’ANGELO PONDS WITH THE BLOCKED PUNT FOR THE SCOOP AND SCORE!
No. 19 @IndianaFootball strikes first tonight.
📺: NBC pic.twitter.com/r4Q60uBtLq
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 21, 2025
“It was great, just to hear the crowd roar,” Ponds said. “It was just surreal, but I had to catch my breath because it was time for the next play.”
Memorial Stadium erupted during Ponds’ spectacular play, IU coach Curt Cignetti highlighted his All-American cornerback’s moment as the beginning of the end for Illinois.
“The punt block got us going,” Cignetti said postgame. “And then they couldn’t stop us. They couldn’t match up on the perimeter. And then we broke their will and just pounded them.”
Ponds’ block marks the third blocked punt so far this season by Indiana, and the first one resulting in points. IU’s special teams have made several notable plays so far this season and are proving to be a key third phase to the 4-0 start.
“Special teams is something that we had to take advantage of in this game,” Indiana linebacker Aiden Fisher said. “We had to make sure our unit was elite and better than theirs. We say that special teams is the tip of the spear; offense, defense, and special teams at the top.”
It wasn’t the first time Ponds got IU off to a fast start. In fact, his touchdown on Saturday night isn’t his favorite moment in an IU uniform.
A year ago he returned an interception for a score to put the Hoosiers on the board against Washington.
“I would still take the Washington pick-six over this,” Ponds said. “But, I feel like the moment and the crowd’s reaction were neck and neck.”
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