Hoosiers Shock Buckeyes...End Shutout Streak!

This game didn't tell us anything we didn't already know. We knew Indiana was not in the same class as Ohio State. We knew Terrelle Pryor would be the best athlete on the field. We knew IU would have to play a perfect game to be within shouting distance of the Buckeyes. No one should be surprised at the way this one played out. There were some encouraging things to take from this game but for the most part, I think you just mark this down as a loss and move on to Virginia.

One Very Good Drive
Indiana did not get off to a good start. They were down 10-0 and Ohio State was threatening to run away with the ball game before the end of the first quarter. Indiana got the ball at the 20 and went on an eight play, 80-yard touchdown drive to make the score 10-7. Tandon Doss looked like the best player on either side of the ball on this drive and he scored his first receiving touchdown of the year to cap things off. This drive was very reminiscent of IU's opening drive against Michigan and I think people expected things to continue like that all night. Problem is, Ohio State is much better than Michigan and their defense was able to adjust. Still, this was a very good looking drive.

Middleton and Kirlew Continue to Play Well
Their stats were not that impressive from this game but Ohio State's offensive line was having a difficult time with IU's defensive ends. Terrelle Pryor was able to elude them when the pocket broke down but they were able to get some good pressure on him. They each had a tackle for a loss and Kirlew forced a fumble. They weren't able to change the game against the Buckeyes. However, if they keep playing like they are against less mobile quarterbacks and less physical offensive lines, IU's defense will shut some offenses down.

As I said, IU had to play a perfect game to come close to OSU and they didn't even sniff perfection. There were plenty of negatives, I have trimmed it down to three.

The Running Game Disappears
Ohio State is really stout against the run. I didn't expect IU to be able to run much against the Buckeyes but this was ridiculous. They ran the ball 26 times for 18 yards. That is .7 yards a carry. That does take sacks into account. If you take sacks out, they would have 61 yards on the ground. That is still pretty bad. I don't expect IU to run for 200 yards every week but they cannot have games like this and consistently compete in the Big Ten.

Turnovers
IU had taken care of the ball very well this season. Chappell has forced a couple of throws and there has been a fumble or two but turnovers have not been a problem. Ben Chappell had two interceptions including one at the end of the first half that put the game away. Tandon Doss had a fumble on the Hoosiers first drive that led to a Buckeyes field goal. IU cannot turn the ball over three times against a quality opponent.

Play Calling
I am not blaming the coaching staff for the loss. Walsh, Parcells, Belichick and Dungy could have been coaching this game and IU wouldn't have won. That being said, I thought the play calling was very conservative in some cases. IU was pinned back inside their own 20 to start most of their possessions and that did not help. I wanted to see more screen passes to Willis, if he can't run against OSU you need to find a way to get him the ball. A few deep balls to Belcher or Doss would have been nice. IU was punting on 4th and short just to avoid giving up field position in a blowout. It looked to me like the coaches were trying to avoid a blowout instead of trying to put up some big plays. Again, I am not blaming the coaches for the loss. I just wanted to see them throw the kitchen sink at OSU like they did the Wolverines.

Overall, I was not surprised by the result. The Michigan game was encouraging but the Wolverines are not that good. Ohio State is the class of the league and IU doesn't have the horses to compete with them. I still think they have three more wins on the schedule. Next up is a crucial contest at Virginia. Tomorrow, I recap the weekend past in college football. Until then, stay vigilant and God Bless America.