Plethora of rushing scores squash Racers

Last week, it was Kellen Lewis owning all of the yards on the ground. On Saturday, IU coach Bill Lynch split it among a tandem of running backs.

The Hoosiers (2-0) easily beat Murray State, 45-3, and commanded the game throughout the evening. Murray State, a Football Championship Series school, was overmatched against an IU team that wracked up 477 yards of total offense.

In the first quarter, the Hoosiers opened with two straight three-and-outs but scored their first touchdown when senior running back Marcus Thigpen scampered for 67 yards. Thigpen scored twice, his first two rushing touchdowns since Sept. 16, 2006 against Southern Illinois.

Dominating the ground game, the Hoosiers recorded six rushing touchdowns and 254 yards between four running backs and sophomore quarterback Ben Chappell. Supported by a large lead, Chappell replaced Lewis for adequate playing time, throwing 52 yards on 6-for-7 attempts.

For the second straight game, the defense looked strong and did not yield much. The Racers' lone field goal came with three minutes left in the first quarter. The Hoosiers forced three turnovers recorded three sacks.