Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
Support the IDS in College Media Madness! Donate here March 24 - April 8.
Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

sports football

IU suffers first Big Ten loss

Evanston, Ill. -- The Wildcats (5-0, 1-0) defeated the Hoosiers (2-2, 0-1) 44-29 in their Big Ten Opener at Ryan Field.

IU has lost their last 12 Big Ten openers.

Northwestern posted 704 total offensive yards, which is a team record to the Hoosiers’ 425 yards.

The Wildcats potent offense was due to 93 total plays on 36:14 total possession time.

Junior quarterback Kain Colter was versatile on offense for the Wildcats. He recorded 164 rushing yards for four touchdowns and 131 receiving yards on nine catches, leading both categories for the Wildcats.

Coming out of high school, Colter was an Athlete that played a variety of positions.
Northwestern junior running back Venric Mark added 29 carries for 152 rushing yards and one touchdown.

Two other players added to the run game for a total of 394 yards.

Last year, the Wildcats rushed for 317 yards in their 59-38 victory.

The game was easily a tale of two halves for the Hoosiers.

In the first half, IU scored zero points and was held to 89 passing yards and 56 rushing yards.

Sophomore quarterback Cam Coffman passed for 10 of 18 for 89 yards.

The Hoosiers punted the ball five of eight possessions in the half.

Also, NU went for 17 first downs to the Hoosiers five.

“We weren’t playing Hoosier ball out there. But, then we stopped panicking and let the game come to us,” junior running back Stephen Houston said about the difference in halves.

In the second half, Coach Kevin Wilson started the half with freshman quarterback Nate Sudfeld.

“During the week of practice they just let me know to be ready at all time, that I’m always one snap away,” Sudfeld said.

In his first Big Ten game, the Modesto, Calif., native completed 9 for 16 passes for 157 yards and one touchdown.

The Hoosiers four running backs went 103 rushing yards in the second half with two touchdowns, one for Houston and one for D’Angelo Roberts.

Freshman running back Tevin Coleman had the least amount of carries, but played a major role on special teams.

The Tinley, Park, IL., native (only 47 miles south of Ryan Field) recorded a 94-yard kickoff return touchdown in the third quarter.

“It was great to do that in front of my teammates and in front of my family,” Coleman said.

The other touchdown plays in the second half include, a 20-yard rushing touchdown from Houston, a 35-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Kofi Hughes, and a two-yard TD run from Roberts.

“I have to give a lot of credit to Coach (Kevin) Wilson and the Hoosiers. They did a terrific job in the second half by making big plays,” NU head coach Pat Fitzgerald said.
After the Roberts TD run, the Hoosiers went for the two-point conversion and scored on Hughes reverse run to bring the score within eight points.

On the next drive, Northwestern was marching down the field, until an interception by safety fifth-year senior Alexander Webb.

The Hoosiers returned to offense with a four and out drive and wasn’t able to score again.

IU hopes to use this week’s game footage to improve for next week against top-25 Michigan State.

“Tomorrow we are going to look at the film and figure it out,” Hughes said.

Get stories like this in your inbox
Subscribe