Indiana Hoosiers Football

Let me start by saying, I wish this article were more about a great finish to a great college football game. However, it's not. This article is about the lack of class displayed by the fans in attendance at the Michigan vs Indiana game Saturday afternoon.

It was the third quarter of a wild shootout. Everyone is in for an exciting finish. Except one thing. You couldn't help but notice a disgraceful chant making it's way through sold-out crowd at Memorial Stadium.

"Break his leg!! Break his leg!!" Could be heard making its way onto the field as the Hoosiers and Wolverines battled it out.

That wasn't the only thing you heard. On a first down play Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson ran the ball and came down hard on the same knee that was hurt the previous week against Bowling Green. He went down in obvious pain, and Michigan trainers sprinted onto the field to tend to their hurt quarterback.

Usually in situations like that, you can hear a pin drop in a stadium. The sound coming from the stands as Robinson grabbed for his knee was something much worse. Hoosier fans actually cheered loudly. Yes, you read that right. A football player was on the ground in pain and the sound you heard from fans was cheering.

I am huge college football fan. I want to see my team win just as bad as any other fan in the country. I understand cheering your heart out in support of your football team. However there is no excuse for cheering when a student-athlete is injured during a game.

These athletes do not get paid to be out on the football field. They are kids, getting an education and playing hard for the love of the game and for our entertainment. It is an absolute disgrace to cheer when an opposing player goes down with an injury, regardless of how important he may be to the opposing team.

College football is a great sport, and something most of us enjoy watching. I hope Indiana fans realize this, and learn that the health of the kids on the field is just a bit more important than the final score of the game.

The Indiana Hoosiers have generally been considered the laughingstock of the Big Ten Conference's rich tradition.

They have been at the bottom or dangerously close to it every year since before my almost 20-year life began.

Bloomington really had nothing to root for on the gridiron—but that's all about to change.

This season is starting to give off the turning point vibe that makes me want to say that the Hoosiers could be on the rise.

The Hoosiers are off to a 3-0 start going into conference play, with a crucial game at home against No. 19 Michigan on Saturday.

If they can pull off this win, which I think could very well happen, then Indiana may find themselves knocking on the door of the Top 25 rankings. This season, if the Hoosiers are as good as they seem through three games, then they very well may stumble across their best season since the 1980s.

If the Hoosiers can pull off the upset against Michigan, this should give them some momentum and show them how good they really can be.

A big concern, however, will be their next game, which has them slotted to play at No. 2 Ohio State. This game could turn into a slaughter very quickly, which could demoralize the Hoosiers.

If they can find their way through this tough game without losing too much morale, then they should be able to get back on a win streak through their fairly easy schedule until they meet up with Iowa.

Indiana is capable of winning against the Hawkeyes, but they will have to avoid turnovers and step up their defense a couple notches. QB Ben Chappell will also need to continue throwing for 300-plus yards per game like he has been thus far.

Overall, Indiana's chances at making it to a bowl game this season are looking brighter than they have in a long, long time.

If they can continue to move the ball with their dangerous passing attack and maybe step up their defense a little bit, the 2010-2011 Hoosiers should have something to celebrate in Bloomington at the end of this season.

Since 1990, the Indiana Hoosiers have played in a mere four bowl games, winning just one. Of course, becoming bowl eligible is difficult in major college football, especially when contesting the likes of Big Ten foes Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State. 

Or is it?

A 6-6 record and a BCS conference team is, most likely, "going bowling." Therein lies the reason coaches and athletic directors schedule weak, and sometimes non-FBS, opponents.

One school, among many, guilty of this is IU. But even with lower-division foes, the Hoosiers still rarely make the postseason. Why? If scheduling all but guarantees four wins, shouldn't a team have little trouble reaching a bowl game?

Certainly that's a logical conclusion to draw. But perhaps it's because IU's schedule includes such cupcakes that the program fails to progress and qualify for bowls. Consider Indiana's non-conference slate the last five years:

2006: Western Michigan, Ball State, Southern Illinois and UConn

2007: Indiana State, Western Michigan, Akron and Ball State

2008: Western Kentucky, Murray State, Ball State and Central Michigan

2009: Eastern Kentucky, Western Michigan, Akron and Virginia

2010: Towson, Western Kentucky, Akron and Arkansas State

Imagine a potential recruit looking at IU's 2010 non-conference schedule. Do Towson and Western Kentucky scream "prime time" to him? Probably not. And, given IU's scheduling track record, that probably won't change any time soon. Hence the Hoosiers fall short of landing 4- and 5-star athletes and, therefore, are undermanned when they play within the conference.

In college football today, it takes more than a strong conference to attract stud recruits; it also requires some choice non-conference counterparts. IU, like many others, fails to grasp this concept. In the short run, a stronger schedule will lead to more losses. In the long run, however, such a schedule could lead to better recruits...and more bowl games.

The Big Ten introduced its new divisions to the world Tuesday evening, and if you are someone who counts on statistics to predict outcomes, then the Hoosiers' new division looks to be challenging.

Indiana was placed in the same division with football powerhouses Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin. Purdue and Illinois were also placed in the division to sustain the heated rivalry between the schools. Where the statistics reveal something, is that, since Bill Lynch took charge in 2007, the Hoosiers have just two wins and a staggering eleven losses against these five opponents in three years, and none of those wins have come against the Badgers, Buckeyes, or Nittany Lions.

There's little doubt that Indiana has been placed in the toughest division in the Big Ten. However, in looking over the realignment, the divisions themselves seem strictly regional, so it was inevitable that Indiana would end up in a division with Ohio State and Penn State. There is truly no reason to complain, and perhaps we should be excited that great teams such as Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin will be coming to play in Bloomington year in and year out.

However, the Hoosiers' football program is truly on the rise. With new facilities, a brand new scoreboard, an explosive offense, and new defensive schemes, this team has the chance to possibly make some noise this season in the Big Ten. If they are able to win some conference games. then there is no reason to be afraid of the difficult Big Ten schedule that will face the team for the next several years.

There are definitely some problems for IU football in this new format, though. The first problem is hard to get around --- Ohio State will always be national powerhouse Ohio State, and Indiana football has never fared well against the Buckeyes. The last Hoosier victory over Ohio State came in 1988, and it could be a long time coming before the IU fan sees a win against Jim Tressel’s Buckeyes.

The Buckeyes aren't the only divisional opponent that Indiana has struggled against. The Hoosiers haven't beaten Wisconsin or Penn State in a decade.

Hoosier fans can count on competitive games with Purdue and Illinois, but how much will each season mean to a fan when it feels like there are an automatic three losses on the schedule?

The truth of the matter is that it probably didn't matter which division Indiana ended up in.

Even If the Big Ten would have realigned the conference differently, the Hoosiers still would have no guaranteed wins.

We all need to face the facts, and realize that Indiana is not the cream of the crop as far as Big Ten football goes. In reality, Indiana does not pull five-star recruits and have a 100,000 seat stadium like their opponents in the division. Indiana was placed in a division with schools that have all made at least one Rose Bowl appearance since 2000. Indiana, on the other hand, has not reached the Rose Bowl since 1968.

These statistics are truly frightening, so until Indiana does become a football school, prepare for some rough seasons in a difficult division.

I know, you probably read the headline and thought that I'm crazy for writing something about Indiana Football. That said, there really hasn't been much to talk about the basketball team in Bloomington either. So I guess that this could be a breath of fresh air for all Hoosier fans out there.

Last season, Indiana went 4-8, with a 1-7 Big Ten record. However, all the close games that they played in last season can only help them as they head into the 2010 campaign.

This year, the Hoosiers return every starter except for two offensive linemen. Ben Chappel returns from a good showing at starting quarterback, but he has to focus more on protecting the football after his 15 interception campaign last season. He is joined by a great receiving crew in Tandon Doss and Damarlo Belcher, as well as running back Darius Willis.

Indiana definitely has the offensive tools to be successful, but their defense needs to step up. Their defense lost two defensive ends, two linebackers, a cornerback, and both safeties from a defense that wasn't very good. So it will be a lot of new faces on that side of the football for the Hoosiers. They will live and die by their offense, but if the defense can get a few big stops, they can be a competitive team in the Big Ten this season.

They start off the season with three non-conference games which should all result in wins for the Hoosiers. In Week One, they face Towson, followed by Western Kentucky, and Akron, to round out the non-conference schedule. While those all should be wins, the hard part of the schedule comes in after those three cupcakes.

Their first Big Ten matchup shows them against Michigan, which could be a winnable game for the Hoosiers, as it will be a shootout in Bloomington, and the Hoosiers do have the offense to win games like that.

After Michigan will be a loss against Ohio State, but it is followed by Arkansas State, Illinois, and Northwestern, which could be the most critical stretch for the Hoosiers. No doubt, they should be able to handle Arkansas State, but if they plan to be bowl eligible at the end of the season, Northwestern and Illinois are two games that they have to get.

If they win their four out-of-conference games, which they should, Indiana needs to win just two more games in Big Ten play to be .500 at the end of the season.

After that series of games, they face three tough games against Iowa, Wisconsin, and Penn State, before finishing up in Lafayette against Purdue.

Again, the rivalry game against the Boilermakers is a must win for the Hoosiers, as they plan to stay away from the bottom of the Big Ten.

All in all, the Hoosiers have a great chance of going 6-6 this season and becoming bowl eligible, but being 7-5 isn't out of the question. If the defense can support this strong offense, it could be a big step up for Indiana football this season.

Bloomington, get your popcorn ready, it's do or die for Bill Lynch, and he won't go without a fight.

In 2005, when Indiana University hired Terry Hoeppner to lead their football program, I really thought the Hoosiers had finally turned the page.

Indiana has been the doormat of the Big Ten since they joined the conference in 1899.

To fully put their inadequacies into perspective, consider that in over 100 years of play, they have been conference champions only twice. They have appeared in the final AP poll five times and have been to exactly nine bowls.

That can fairly be described as awful.

However, having seen Hoeppner coach at Miami (Ohio), I believed in his talents. Just as importantly, I believed he wanted to be at Indiana.

Therefore, if he did achieve success as a Hoosier, I believed he would stick with the program instead of bolting for Notre Dame or Florida or whatever bigger name might be hiring that year.

Tragically, it didn't work out that way as Terry Hoeppner died on June 19, 2007, due to complications from brain cancer.

His friend and offensive coordinator Bill Lynch took over the team and, the season following Hoeppner's death saw Lynch lead the Hoosiers to a bowl game for the first time in 14 years.

In Hoeppner's two years as coach, the Hoosiers consistently improved and built momentum from year to year. This obviously continued into Lynch's first year coaching, but it ended there.

In 2008, Indiana went 3-9 and 1-7 in conference. In 2009, they went 4-8 with a 1-7 conference record.

However, it should be noted that 2009 could easily have been 7-4, as they lost a number of close games.

They lost to Michigan by three, with a very questionable call ending Indiana's last drive. They fell to Northwestern by one.

They lost to Iowa by 18, but the game was much closer than it appears, and again, a questionable call cost them dearly. Finally, they also lost to Wisconsin by three, though that game wasn't as close as it appears.

Heading into 2010, all indications are that if Bill Lynch is to keep his job, he will have to have a successful year. For Indiana, success means six wins and a bowl bid.

Admittedly, it's not looking good.

The Offense

On offense—Coach Lynch's specialty—things look fairly solid. The only key losses are left tackle Rodger Saffold and right guard Pete Saxon.

Saffold, who was drafted in the second round by the St. Louis Rams, is a major loss, but in college football, if one position is all a team has to worry about, then that team is in good shape.

Other than Saffold and Saxon, everybody returns. That includes senior QB Ben Chappell, and sophomore RB Darius Willis. Indiana also arguably boasts one of the best groups of receivers in the Big Ten, including juniors Tandon Doss and Damarlo Belcher.

Doss and Belcher return 77 and 61 receptions, respectively. Backing them up will be seniors Terrance Turner (46 receptions) and Mitchell Evans (33 receptions). In short, Chappell will have his pick of experienced and talented receiving targets.

Last season, Indiana ranked ninth in scoring in the Big Ten with 23.5 points per game.

It is also worth noting that within conference play , Indiana was sixth in scoring with 24.4 points per game. This is the more telling number as Indiana did play all of the Big Ten's best defenses—OSU, Iowa, PSU, Wisconsin, and NU—and they put up at least 20 points on all of them, except for OSU.

That tells you that Indiana—at least on offense—improved as the season went on. In short, expect that offense to keep improving into 2010.

The two big problems for Indiana's offense last year was their red-zone scoring—ninth in the Big Ten at 73.3 percent—and untimely turnovers.

Ben Chappell threw 15 interceptions last season. Despite that, Indiana was second in conference in turnover margin at +.75 per game. More on that later, but it comes down to the following: Indiana has all the offensive tools it needs to be successful.

They absolutely need Chappell to take better care of the football, and they need to take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves.

Furthermore, Indiana ranked ninth in the Big Ten in time of possession, holding the ball 28:35 per game.

All of these numbers need to improve, because Indiana is a team that will live and die by their offense. The reason for this is...

Defense

Indiana loses both their defensive ends, two starting linebackers as well as their top reserve linebacker, a cornerback, and both safeties.

More than just the quantity of their graduations is the quality.

To begin with, at defensive end, Jammie Kirlew was a four-year starter and Greg Middleton started three years. Both were very experienced, very productive, and very underrated. They will be sorely missed.

Meanwhile, at linebacker Will Patterson was a three-year starter while Matt Mayberry was a two-year starter and the team's leading tackler for both 2008 and 2009.

By Big Ten standards, neither was a great linebacker, but with Kirlew and Middleton gone, whoever takes their places will have blockers all over them. Expect a lot of teams to run right at them, and more often than not, said teams will be successful.

Further complicating Indiana's defensive woes, safeties Austin Thomas and Nick Polk are gone. Both were three-year starters and, like the Hoosiers' ends, were sorely underrated.

Teams will not only run at Indiana's new linebackers, but they will look to test their new safeties, most probably with a lot of play actions. New defensive ends, two new linebackers, and new safeties is a surefire recipe for big plays.

For this reason, it will be up to the offense to make sure the defense is well-rested, and not put in dangerous positions.

Again, that means the Hoosiers need to improve their time of possession and avoid untimely turnovers.

Last season, Indiana was 10th in the Big Ten in scoring defense. That number will not improve in 2010.

The Schedule

Indiana starts the season against FCS opponent Towson University. They will win that game. They then get an untimely bye—untimely because they'll probably want that bye later in the year—after which they travel to Western Kentucky.

By the way, if you are a BCS team and you have a game at Western Kentucky, that is not a good sign.

Nevertheless, Indiana should put up 40 points on the Hilltoppers and should win that game.

After that they come back home and play Akron, who at 3-9 last season was awful, but was also young. Indiana has to win that game, and they should.

Akron is followed by division play and all of their toughest games come in two clusters: Michigan, at Ohio State, Arkansas St, at Illinois, Northwestern, Iowa, at Wisconsin, Penn State (at FedEx Field in Maryland), and at Purdue.

I don't see the Hoosiers having a chance against OSU, Iowa, Wisconsin, or PSU. The Buckeyes, Badgers, and Nits will simply run on them all day, and Iowa will force the Hoosiers inexperienced safeties into the box and play-action them to death.

I also think their game against Michigan will be an offensive slugfest. Whichever team takes care of the football will win. My money is on the Wolverines.

They should beat Arkansas State.

That leaves at Illinois, Northwestern, and at Purdue as the swing games. If they win their four out-of-conference games, they will need two of these games to get to six wins and save Bill Lynch's job.

Intangibles

To begin with, there is the Phil Steele model for turnover margin, and it doesn't bode well for Indiana. This makes perfect sense considering the playmakers the Hoosiers lost on defense in 2009.

I expect IU to cut down on offensive turnovers in '10. I also expect them to cause considerably fewer turnovers.

And speaking of those defensive playmakers, Kirlew and Polk, to name two players, were huge leaders for this football team. Somebody has to pick up the slack in that respect on the defense.

Finally, the momentum that Terry Hoeppner brought to this football team is long gone. Most of the players currently starting for the Hoosiers were redshirt freshmen and sophomores when Hoeppner passed. Bill Lynch has got to find a way to motivate this team on his own.

He has yet to find that magic formula.

Worst Case Scenario

The defense is as bad as expected. Moreover, the Hoosiers defensive woes are complicated by turnovers, bad field position, and an offense that doesn't spend enough time on the field.

Chappell continues to struggle with ball control and doesn't take advantage of his talented receivers, thereby leaving the Hoosiers' potentially good offense as middling.

Indiana loses one of their out-of-conference games and gets swept in conference.

Final Record: 3-9

Best Case Scenario

Ben Chappell turns in a career performance in his senior year and the Hoosier offense is one of the top five offenses in the conference.

Just as importantly, they take care of the ball, have long, time-consuming drives, and keep the defense well-rested.

Meanwhile, the defense, while it isn't good, is good enough. They do what they have to do to pull out the wins they need.

Indiana sweeps the OOC slate and wins @Ill, NU, and @Purdue to close out the season.

This gives them seven wins and a bowl bid.

They wind up as the Big Ten's representative in the debut of the Dallas Football Classic where they play a Conference USA team or a lesser-tier team from the Big 12.

They win and Bill Lynch gets a contract extension.

My Prediction

I previously predicted that Illinois will be shell-shocked when Indiana—after a relatively "easy" game against Arkansas State—pulls into town and the Hoosiers will escape Champaign with a win.

However, I think the Hoosiers will lose to Northwestern, who won't be good when the 2010 season begins, but who characteristically improve.

That will bring it down to the annual Old Oaken Bucket game against interstate rival Purdue. Both teams could be bringing five wins into this game and thus playing for a bowl berth. I think Purdue will get the win.

Final Record: 5-7. Bill Lynch will be the third Big Ten firing for 2010.

Breaking Down the Big Ten Part One: The Minnesota Golden Gophers

Breaking Down the Big Ten Part Two: The Illinois Fighting Illini

Matt Mayberry is a week away from one of the biggest events of his life to date: the 2010 NFL Draft.  Mayberry, a middle linebacker from Indiana University, took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to tell B/R writer Tim Cary about how he's preparing for life as a professional football player.

TC: What are your plans for watching the draft this coming weekend? 

MM: I will be in Chicago with my family relaxing.  Nothing too special, just spending the day with my family.

TC: How many different teams have you talked to or worked out for during the pre-draft process? 

MM: I have spoken to just about every team but a few, and I've worked out and visited more than a handful.  The Bears and Patriots are already out there in the media, but the other teams I have visited with asked to keep it quiet, so I've got to keep to their requests on that one.

TC: What was your pre-draft workout preparation like? Take us through a normal day of working out and getting ready for the draft.  

MM: It was something else, but I loved it!  My day started at 8:00 am and ended around 7:00 pm.  We would do speed work, followed by position work, and then hit the weights in the afternoon with rehab-type stuff (to prevent injuries) and recovery methods.  I was down in Cincinnati at a place called Ignition where several standout current NFL players train, and they do a great job of getting you mentally and physically prepared for the next level. 

TC: Do you have a preference of playing in a 4-3 defense or a 3-4 scheme at the next level? 

MM: No, I do not have a certain preference.  I have been in touch with both 3-4 and 4-3 teams.  I've been told outside and inside in a 4-3 (what I played in college) and then strictly inside in a 3-4 scheme.  I would say I'm pretty versatile when it comes to that. 

TC: Did you have a favorite NFL team growing up? If so, which one?  

MM: Not really.  I am from the Chicago area, so I always grew up loving Walter Payton; that drew me to the Bears, but there was never really one favorite team.

TC: Which do you enjoy more, getting a sack, forcing and recovering a fumble, or making an interception? 

MM: Wow, that is a tough one!  All three of those can change the game around in a positive way and give the offense great field position, but I really like to rush the passer and was pretty successful at it in college, so I will have to go with a sack.  Interceptions are great as well!

TC: What do you think will be the most difficult thing about making the transition from college football to the NFL? 

MM: Just the speed and work that goes into game week.  I don't think it will be that much of a transition for me though, because I thrive off speed and my work ethic is second to none (I like to believe!). I really take pride in working everyday as hard as possible.

TC: What's your greatest memory or highlight from your career at Indiana?

MM: There were a lot of them, even though we had a lot of downs while I was there, including the death of my coach/mentor Coach Hoeppner.  My greatest memory though would have to go back to the 2007 season when we went to the Insight Bowl in Arizona.  That was a great time with my teammates and some of my greatest friends, so that was a time I really cherished!

TC: What is your greatest attribute or characteristic as a football player that will help you succeed playing on Sundays? 

MM: Speed, work ethic, and relentless attitude!  The results speak for themselves as being one of the fastest linebackers in the country.  In the offseason I train six hours a day, sometimes twice a day, all related to football specific drills!  I recently started boxing for hand eye coordination and quicker hands, which will really help on Sundays.  I prepare to win everyday and have been for awhile, but now I'm a lot more hungry and a lot of people will be shocked!  Lastly, I have a attitude to succeed and never give up.  I think my game tape correlates to that one.  No matter what the situation was, whether we were losing or winning, I would go hard every play and not be denied to get to the ball and make a play for my team.

TC: Thanks so much for taking the time, Matt! Best of luck to you next weekend with the NFL Draft!

After a great career at Indiana University, Tracy Porter was drafted in the second round (40th overall) of the 2008 draft by the New Orleans Saints.

Before he was picked, Saints coach Sean Payton called Porter to let him know they were going to draft him. Said Porter, "it was the happiest day of my life."

And last night, the Port Allen, Louisiana native etched his name in his hometown Saints lore, with a 74 yard interception return to give the Gold and Black their first ever Super Bowl championship.

Porter finished with four tackles, a pass deflection, and the interception that "Who Dat Nation" will be talking about for a long time.

Adding a twist to this, is that Porter did this against the Indianapolis Colts, the team from just an hour north of where he spent four years of his life improving his game, so that one day, he could maybe play for his boyhood team, the New Orleans Saints.

And adding to that twist, was the play of Courtney Roby, an Indianapolis native, whose kick returns helped give the Saints good field position, and his special teams play held the Colts deep in their own territory after downing a punt.

Roby returned four kicks for 102 yards, with a long of 34 yards.

Roby also played four years for the Hoosiers at Indiana University, finishing his career there with the most receptions (170) and receiving yards (2524) in school history.

Roby was then picked in the third round, 68th overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2005 NFL Draft.

He then bounced around between the Titans, Cincinnati Bengals, and even his hometown Indianapolis Colts, before signing with the New Orleans Saints on October 16, 2008.

Porter's journey to the NFL wasn't filled with as many accolades.

He didn't start playing high school football till his junior season in high school, which scared off college coaches from taking a chance on the late bloomer.

But former Indiana coach Gerry DiNardo saw some potential that no one else saw, leading to the recruiting site Rivals.com to give Porter a zero star rating.

Porter responded to his critics, playing in his first game as a true freshman in 2004, and finishing with four pass breakups, a solo tackle, and two interceptions — the second one he returned for 96 yards and the score.

After four years with the Hoosiers and helping them bring the "Old Oaken Bucket" back to Bloomington, as well as returning them to their first Bowl game (The 2007 Insight.com Bowl vs. Oklahoma State) since 1993, Porter was ready for the next level.

Once he was drafted by the Saints, he played the first five games of the season, before going down for the season with a wrist injury that landed him on injury reserve.

And now, in his sophomore season, the injury bug struck again, causing him to miss four weeks on the sidelines with a sprained MCL in his left knee, although he wasn't out for the season.

Porter returned to the field in Week 15, and his big performances in the last two rounds of the playoffs have given the New Orleans Saints their first Super Bowl championship in 43 years of existence in the NFL.

After an extremely up and down season for both teams, Purdue and Indiana finish their seasons this Saturday at 3:30 PM in Bloomington, Indiana.

Indiana began the season winning their first three games, but they have lost seven of their last eight games and have nothing left to play for but pride and the Old Oaken Bucket, although that is big enough of a thing to play for.

Purdue won their first game against Toledo before losing five in a row. However, they had a massive upset over Ohio State to break that losing streak and are 2-2 since that game. They are now out of bowl contention, though, after losing a close one last week to Michigan State.

The Hoosiers last year were demolished in the Bucket game, losing 62-10 to Purdue in West Lafayette, but this season they are a much better team.

The offense has been improved greatly, with junior QB Ben Chappell taking the reins and putting up a great year statistically, throwing for 2,675 yards, a 63 percent completion rate, 15 touchdowns, and a 126.8 passer rating.

Along with that has been the great play of sophomore wide receivers Tandon Doss and Demarlo Belcher, who have combined for 1,617 yards on 130 receptions, with nine touchdowns between the two of them.

Another aspect that has helped the Hoosiers has been the great job by the offensive line, which has pushed around some of the best defensive teams in the country, including Penn State, Wisconsin, and Ohio State.

Last year there were many injuries to the O-line, but they have been key this year to the Hoosiers' success by being healthy and playing as a team.

On the defensive side of the ball, the tandem of Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton has caused double-teams on both sides of the line, and they have still managed to record 23 tackles for losses and 8.5 sacks between the two of them.

This has opened up chances for Indiana's linebacker corps, and Matt Mayberry, Will Patterson, and Tyler Replogle have stepped up big. They are one, two, and three in the tackles made column in the statistics, and Mayberry has proven to be one of the Big Ten's best linebackers this season.

There are many seniors on the defense, and safeties Austin Thomas and Nick Polk must be mentioned. Thomas is finally healthy after injuring his knee last season, and he has played big all season. He leads the team with four interceptions.

His partner Polk, who has been playing injured all season, deserves a lot of credit for the way he has played this season and has been making timely hits and good reads on coverages throughout the long season.

For the Hoosiers, 10 of the 22 starters are going to be playing their final game, and they are expected to lead the team to victory.

If Indiana wants to win, they must:

1. Get in the face of Purdue QB Joey Elliott so that he can't make good throws to his receivers.

2. Establish a running game against the Purdue defense, which is one of the weakest in the Big Ten.

3. Maintain and improve on a lead, and not give it away like they have in previous weeks.

The Hoosiers are playing the biggest game of the season, and the sellout crowd will certainly be loud. I expect the Hoosiers to play big and bring the Bucket back to Bloomington.

My Prediction: Indiana wins on a Nick Freeland field goal, 38-35.

For Tim Cary's story on the game, click here .

This isn't the first time the Hoosiers have dominated in the first half, only to let the opposing team come back and win. 

Yet, it is just as hard to take.

Only one year removed from a 3-9 season, filled with injuries, lack of leadership, and terrible defense, the Hoosiers are now 4-7 and dangerously close to finishing two seasons in a row with no wins in their final five games.

This year's Hoosiers are certainly better than last years team, yet they still can't find a way to finish games.

If any song could define the Hoosiers season, it would be "Build Me Up Buttercup" by the Foundations. The Hoosiers start off so well and build us up in excitement, that maybe they will win. But then they just let us down in the rest of the game.

In their last four games, the Hoosiers have started off with a bang, scoring at least a touchdown in their first possession, and sometimes going up 10 to 14 points.

But every time, the Hoosiers would let the opponent get back in the game and would end up being blown out of the park.

This weekend was no different.

The Hoosiers marched into Happy Valley to face Penn State with one final chance to stop their three-game losing streak, as well as keep their bowl hopes alive.

And as usual, Indiana came out with great execution on offense and defense and took a 10-0 lead after the first quarter.

However, despite forcing four turnovers in the first half, the Hoosiers were only able to put up 10 points, and they allowed Penn State to get back into the game.

After a missed field goal by Indiana freshman Nick Freeland, Penn State marched down the field and scored just before halftime to tie the game at 10.

From there, it was the same old story, as the Hoosiers came out flat in the second half, and the Nittany Lions scored a touchdown in the third and two more in the fourth to put the game away and win with a 31-20 scoreline.

Although the Hoosiers scored 10 points in the fourth quarter for the second week in a row, the game was long over.

The turning point of the game was in the third quarter, when junior QB Ben Chappell made a fatal mistake.

With the pocket collapsing around him, he chucked up a throw to an open receiver in front of him.

However, junior LB Navorro Bowman got in front of the pass and took it to the house, which totally put momentum into the hands of the Nittany Lions and destroyed IU's chances of going to a bowl game this year.

Now, Indiana has its final week of practice and preparation, where they face in-state rival Purdue. Purdue is also out of bowl contention, with their 40-37 loss at Michigan State knocking them out.

If Indiana wants to end their season on a good note and give their fans something to be happy about, a win this weekend would do it.

The Old Oaken Bucket game should be a good one, and hopefully, the Hoosiers will come out and play 60 minutes of football.