You tried, Indiana.
IU had a real shot to take down PSU today and the game was close throughout. However, they
1) Were truly boned by the refs several times throughout the game - which should be no surprise to anyone that follows trends in big ten football,
2) made some utterly head scratching decisions in the game the hurt them, and
3) had some back luck too.
I actually was hoping to see #9WINDIANA happen this season as long as it didn't go against us, but now the (regular season) meme needs to die.
November 16th, 2019 at 5:12 PM ^
"You tried" has been their calling card for years now.
November 16th, 2019 at 5:14 PM ^
Next week is going to be tough. Celebrate this one but next 2 weeks will be mich harder than today.
November 16th, 2019 at 6:02 PM ^
MSU is still a better football team than Indiana.
November 16th, 2019 at 6:11 PM ^
I absolutely don’t think this is true. I think if IU played the Sparties again they would wax them.
November 16th, 2019 at 6:27 PM ^
Unfortunately for your hypothetical, the two teams actually played, when Indiana still had its starting quarterback, and MSU won. In the time since, Indiana has beaten Rutgers, Maryland, Nebraska, and Northwestern. On the season, it still doesn't have a win against a team with a winning record.
November 17th, 2019 at 7:16 AM ^
To be fair, that was also when MSU had more of their starters available as compared to now.
I think their point is that, had IU and MSU played this weekend, IU probably would have won. I'm not sure how true that is, but it's hypothetical anyway.
November 17th, 2019 at 7:29 AM ^
To be fair, that was also when MSU had more of their starters available as compared to now.
I think their point is that, had IU and MSU played this weekend, IU probably would have won. I'm not sure how true that is, but it's hypothetical anyway.
November 16th, 2019 at 5:16 PM ^
Allen did his best Frames impersonation with the late FG decision. It was 3rd down. At that point, get the 6. If he was thinking FG he should have done it earlier.
November 16th, 2019 at 5:27 PM ^
It’s not as simple as you’re making it out to be (and, for the record, I’m not a fan of Tom Allen). Any strategy for Indiana included recovering an onside kick. If you score a touchdown on first or second down, after the onside kick, you might have time to move into range for a tying field goal. If you’d taken the field goal on first down, you still need a touchdown, and you’d rather be trying that from the 5 than the 50. Two plays later, the calculus changes. If they go for the touchdown on 3rd down, they’re still going for the end zone after the onside kick, because there may not be enough time to get into field goal range. And if they go for the touchdown and don’t get it, the decision gets even tougher on fourth down.
I think you can make an argument for either approach on third down. On first down, though, I think you play for the touchdown.
November 16th, 2019 at 5:40 PM ^
Yeah - I didn't think Allen screwed that up at all. Indiana was down at the four yard-line for 1st Down - given you need a touchdown at some point, take advantage of being THAT close.
They did get a false start penalty then before 2nd Down. Perhaps you could argue for the FG then, but I still think it was worth a shot.
They missed that. Then 3rd down, kick the FG. I agree. Hope for the onside kick.
November 16th, 2019 at 5:19 PM ^
that fake punt ?! ???!? !??! ? !!
November 16th, 2019 at 5:29 PM ^
That was probably their worst decision of the game and basically gifted PSU a score.
Like UM when we played PSU, IU had so many chances to win this game and just shot themselves in the foot. The refs were horrible also (very favorable to the home crowd), but that is sadly normal for most Big Ten games when the home team has a playoff shot.
November 16th, 2019 at 5:26 PM ^
I wanted Indiana to win, badly, but I don't want them turning around completely and actually getting good. Our schedule is already a nightmare and even bad Indiana has been a pain in our ass.
November 16th, 2019 at 5:33 PM ^
Getting good? I mean, they'd still be the same team. It's not a video game where if they won they'd be a better team or something. They are who they are.
November 16th, 2019 at 5:38 PM ^
And who they are is plenty dangerous...much worse Indiana teams have given even good Michigan teams proper scares in Bloomington. That game will likely be tougher than today's, and it will be very hard to make everyone appreciate that.
November 16th, 2019 at 5:48 PM ^
PSU was the better team for the game as a whole - particularly the last touchdown drive that salted the game away, a true "run the ball and you won't stop us" type drive.
PSU's secondary has, however, become some sort of awful in the last few weeks.
Indiana - they are better, but they're still in that #30-#40 range nationally. Not an easy out, but any legit Top 20 team should beat them, home or away.
The fake punt, I think that was on the players, not Tom Allen. It looked like a case where the fake punt was to be an option, but the defensive formation was obviously not conducive for the call. The on-field guys still ran it anyway.
I don't understand the OP's comment about the officiating. I didn't see anything that bad today, but maybe I missed something? There were zero offensive holding calls in the game - there certainly could have been a few both ways - but that is par for the course anymore. An B1G offensive lineman has to bodyslam a guy to get called for that these days.
November 16th, 2019 at 5:55 PM ^
I think next week will be tough and would not be surprised to see it go to OT.
November 16th, 2019 at 6:07 PM ^
They’re going to be an extremely tough out next week. Whole lot of reasons for why they can win.
November 16th, 2019 at 6:18 PM ^
They needed their Penix to penetrate deeper into the game.
November 16th, 2019 at 6:40 PM ^
Any word on Whop?
November 17th, 2019 at 11:47 PM ^
That his seemed pretty serious. It will be interesting to see if he practices this week and if/when he gets cleared.
I would expect he is on protocol.
November 16th, 2019 at 6:40 PM ^
Unfortunately our last shot at winning the division went down the tubes. I was really hoping Indiana could pull the upset today