That Sucked

This loss hits any Hoosier football fan right in the gut. IU had Northwestern down 28-3 in the first half. They were closing in on their fifth victory of the season and would need only one more to become bowl-eligible. Everything was working. That's when the walls began to shake and everything came tumbling down. Northwestern scored the next 26 points including an 18-yard field goal with 21 seconds left and the Wildcats escaped 29-28. It's games like this that remind you why Indiana has been a struggling football program for so long.

Offensive Struggles
IU's offense did not play near as well as the score might indicate. Darius Willis went 70 yards on a toss sweep right to open the game. Then Ray Fisher returned a punt to the 28-yard line and IU went six plays to score. The third scoring drive was the best of the day as the Hoosiers went 76 yards on ten plays before Darius Willis ran it in from three yards out. The fourth and final score was a Ray Fisher kickoff return. IU was done scoring with 7:32 left in the first half. IU only managed 305 yards of offense on the day and they couldn't convert on two key fourth down plays. Ben Chappell did not play all that well and IU didn't connect on any big pass plays. As I said, the Hoosiers were in position to score twice but opted to go for it on fourth down. I don't blame the coaches for their decision and IU should have been able to convert at least one of them. If they do, there might have been a different outcome.

Defensive Struggles
The defense had a very inconsistent day. They gave up a lot of yards but made some really nice plays as well. Northwestern's offense is tough to stop, especially when they get into a rhythm. IU had them on their heels for most of the first half. However, they put together two nice drives in the final five minutes of the half and I think that really got them on track. They eventually racked up 474 yards of offense. However, Indiana forced Mike Kafka into three interceptions. I was amazed the Hoosiers could score a special teams touchdown, win the turnover battle 3-0 and still find a way to lose the game.

Special Teams Star
I have thought Ray Fisher needed to be more assertive on special teams returns. He has let the ball bounce on punts a lot this year and he hasn't made that many big returns in the kicking game. Fisher is one of IU's best athletes and he needs to try and make a play whenever he gets his hands on the ball. On Saturday, he decided to capitalize on his chances. Fisher took a punt back the 28-yard line to set up a score and he returned a kick to make it 28-3. His efforts were not enough to bring in a win but IU will need for him to play like this if they want to have a chance of winning any more games.

Final Thoughts
This was a crushing blow for a team that has surprised me this season. I didn't think they would get to four wins but that doesn't make it any easier to accept this loss. IU had Northwestern beat and then let them off the hook. I predicted a 31-28 IU victory because the Hoosiers have been making plays in close games. On this Saturday, the Hoosiers were unable to come up with a stop when they needed and it was Northwestern that made the plays late. IU heads to undefeated Iowa on Saturday and then hosts Wisconsin and goes to Penn State. They finish it up against Purdue. I don't see two wins on that schedule. This loss will stay with the players and coaches for a long time.