IU Coach Kevin Wilson said he felt no threat from Ball State in the Hoosiers’ 30-20 victory.
He had heard others comparing the game to 2015’s meltdown against Rutgers on Homecoming Weekend, when IU surrendered 22 fourth-quarter points and lost 55-52.
But he didn’t see the comparison.
“Rutgers, we didn’t stop them,” Wilson said. “Ball State scored one touchdown, so I kind of felt like we were in control of the game. Would have been nice to have been cleaner.”
Being clean is something the Hoosiers have struggled to accomplish in recent history, and it’s something they are working on improving by Saturday’s home against Wake Forest.
In 2015, while they nearly defeated top-15 ranked teams like Ohio State, Iowa and Michigan — losing to each team by one score — the Hoosiers allowed nonconference opponents to remain competitive.
IU only defeated Southern Illinois, Florida International and Western Kentucky by a combined 18 points.
In those three nonconference games, IU allowed an average of 544 total yards and surrendered a combined 13 offensive touchdowns. Of those three teams, only Western Kentucky played in a bowl game that season.
To Rutgers alone, the Hoosiers allowed 596 total yards and seven offensive touchdowns. To Ball State this season, though, IU let the Cardinals score one offensive touchdown on 371 total yards.
In the second half, when Ball State recorded 210 total yards, scored a touchdown off a blocked punt and recorded its only offensive touchdown, IU had begun subbing in second-team players to build the depth the coaching staff has desired all offseason.
It was just the dissipating 30-point lead that had many thinking about Rutgers.
Sophomore receiver Nick Westbrook said postgame that the Hoosiers became complacent — something former Hoosier Nate Sudfeld mentioned last season, and Wilson and senior receiver Mitchell Paige mentioned.
IU defensive coordinator Tom Allen said he does not want complacency in his defense. He does not want to surrender 25-point leads like IU surrendered against Rutgers in 2015.
“We didn’t have that killer instinct that you have to have to be a great defense,” Allen said. “To me, that’s a sign of maturity. We’ve got to grow in that area, the ability to consistently and repeatedly do the little things over and over again.”
That killer instinct is what Wilson and Allen are coaching in the wake of a 3-0 Wake Forest team coming to Bloomington on Saturday.
Wilson said he understands that human nature tells competitors to relax when they have a large lead, but they have to keep competing. Wilson credited the balance in football to upsets around the nation and why winning in college football is becoming more and more difficult.
To Wilson, no lead is safe — not a 14-point lead, not an 18-point lead, not a 25-point lead.
“No lead is safe,” Wilson said. “You’ve got to play smart. You’ve got to play hard. You’ve got to finish.”
