Indiana survived another scare, and this one took overtime to settle. The Hoosiers edged Minnesota 23-16 after trailing by a field goal with 19 seconds left, a moment that had the Gophers on the verge of the upset before Indiana found one more answer.
Grant Wilson kept the comeback alive by hitting Charlie Becker downfield, which set up Paddy McAteer’s 60-yard field goal to force overtime. Wilson went back to Becker again in the extra period, and after a defensive stop, Indiana finally closed it out.
It was not a clean win. If anything, the game made the case that Indiana’s bye week comes at exactly the right time, with the Hoosiers needing to get healthier and sharpen the basics that have helped them keep the longest win streak over unranked teams intact.
The offense never really found a rhythm for long stretches. Wilson did help the Hoosiers move the ball better in the second half, but the first half showed the issues were bigger than one quarterback. Minnesota came in expecting the run, and Indiana still couldn’t consistently make it work against a defense that has not been especially strong against the run this season.
The ground game was stuck in neutral early. Indiana managed just 48 rushing yards on 14 carries in the first half, then lost Turbo Richard to an injury. Wilson, who can run well himself, gave the offense a little more life after halftime, but the line still did not control the game the way it should have against this opponent.
At this point, the bigger question is which part is dragging the other down. Is the run game suffering because the passing game isn’t clicking, or is the passing game being limited because the run game can’t get going? Either way, the Hoosiers need a fix fast.
Special teams, meanwhile, were a mess. Under Cignetti, that phase has been one of Indiana’s biggest strengths, including last year’s CFP run and the blocked punt that was recovered for a touchdown in the win over Miami for the National Championship. Against Minnesota, it was the opposite.
This was described as the single worst special teams performance seen, and it went well beyond missed kicks. Nico Radicic may be dealing with health or confidence issues, but that wasn’t the main problem.
Indiana had two punts that went fewer than 30 yards, including a 15-yard kick that set up Minnesota’s first field goal. Then came the punt return issues, with Becker fair catching one at the three yard line.
Later, when he finally broke off a good return, a penalty wiped it out.
And through all of it, Indiana still found a way to win. That has been the story of the last three games, and nearly the Ohio State game too. The offense has been unusually shaky, the special teams have been unusually sloppy, and the penalties have piled up in a way that has to be frustrating for Cignetti.
Indiana got a little fortune in the Penn State win last year, but this stretch has pushed things into stranger territory. The bye week now offers a chance to get healthy, clean up the mistakes, and work on something - anything - that can jump-start the offense. For now, though, the Hoosiers keep surviving, and you have to trust they’ll keep getting it done.
In Other News...
Indiana Spotlight Weekend Included A Brutal Near Miss Fans Wont Forget
Pat McAfee brought his Kicking is Easy contest to Bloomington during Week 9, and Indiana fans got a front-row seat to one of the seasons most nerve-racking moments. Student Jackson stepped up for two tries from 33 yards, with a $1 million prize hanging in the balance, and the setup had all the ingredients for a campus moment nobody would forget.
The contest has already produced several successful college kicks this season, including a recent $3 million win by BYU student Carter, which only sharpened the tension around Jacksons attempt. Instead, the Hoosiers crowd was left with a brutal near miss on both tries, and the episode wrapped with special guest Isiah Thomas making picks ahead of Indianas Big Ten game. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana's Homecoming Test Feels Bigger Than A Routine Big Ten Saturday
Homecoming in Bloomington brings a little extra weight to Saturdays Big Ten matchup, with Indiana set to welcome Minnesota to Memorial Stadium in a late-afternoon window that should give the game a bigger stage than a typical league date. The Hoosiers come in at 7-1, Minnesota at 5-2, and both teams have spent the fall building enough momentum to make this one feel like more than just another conference checkpoint.
Curt Cignettis group has turned every home date into a measuring stick, and this one arrives with CBS carrying the broadcast and P.J. Fleck bringing a familiar brand of physical, disciplined football into town. For Indiana, the setting matters as much as the standings, because a win here would keep the Hoosiers right where they want to be in the Big Ten picture while giving the homecoming crowd a game with real consequence. [Read more 🡒]
Indianas Playoff Case May Depend On A Rsum Problem Fans Hate
Indianas path to the College Football Playoff is starting to look less like a simple rsum check and more like a waiting game. The Hoosiers still need the kind of ranked win that looks good to the selection committee, but the value of that win can shift depending on what happens around the country, especially with teams such as Northwestern, Minnesota and USC.
That is the frustrating part for Indiana fans: the Hoosiers may not control the exact shape of their own best argument by Selection Sunday. If those teams keep winning, or even improve their standing, Indianas strength of schedule case gets a cleaner boost. If they slip, the rsum problem gets harder to solve, and the margin for error gets even smaller. [Read more 🡒]