CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Each week of this season, the Hoosiers have a word of the week. This week, IU’s word was “now,” reflecting the urgency IU needed to play with against Illinois.
Instead of now, the word of the week and the season should be “salvage.” Against the Illini, IU began its quest to get its season back on track after losing its first six Big Ten Conference games.
That reclamation project began with a 24-14 victory over Illinois.
Notching the first of three victories IU needs to get to bowl eligibility for the third time in a row, the Hoosiers showed the poise and resiliency that had eluded them all season long.
The season hadn’t gone the way the Hoosiers had wanted. The breakthrough that IU Coach Tom Allen had desperately wanted wasn’t going to happen because the Hoosiers couldn’t finish games against Michigan State and Michigan. Both games were winnable contests, but the Hoosiers couldn’t make the requisite plays down the stretch.
Following those tough losses, IU lost at Maryland and got destroyed by Wisconsin. It was a stretch that could’ve broken this team, but it didn’t.
“Bottom line is we stayed the course and our kids are being rewarded for being very resilient,” Allen said.
Against Illinois, the critical plays late in the game finally came.
It wasn’t a memorable offensive performance to say the least. Against one of the weakest defenses in the Big Ten, IU’s offense didn’t look any better than it had all season. Instead of stepping on Illinois’ jugular, IU failed to put the Illini away for most of the game.
Yet on a drive late in the fourth quarter, the Hoosiers finally put away the Illini on a five-yard pass from senior quarterback Richard Lagow to junior wide receiver Simmie Cobbs Jr. That play put IU up by its final margin of error.
Lagow – who was inconsistent again Saturday – made enough plays to win the game.
Other than giving up a 77-yard pass to start the second half, IU’s defense played as good defense as it has all season. Late in the game, the unit, which prides itself on getting takeaways, got three takeaways in the fourth quarter and helped IU put away Illinois.
The defense fell on a fumble with 5:17 left in the game and senior cornerback Rashard Fant intercepted a pass with 3:01 left in the game. In the closing minutes, the defense found a way to win the game for the Hoosiers.
Style points don’t matter for the Hoosiers at this point. All that matters is getting to six victories and bowl eligibility to avoid a disappointing season. It wasn’t a pretty victory, and IU could have easily blown out Illinois if it played better. However, victories are all that matter in November.
“It feels good to get back on the winning side,” senior linebacker Chris Covington said. “The thing is we got to keep pushing and we’re on to Rutgers.”
For the first time since September, IU won a game against an FBS opponent. The Hoosiers left many wins on the table this season, yet a historic moment for the program is still in reach if IU reaches a third straight bowl game. Expectations were higher this season and they weren’t met, but this season still has consequence.
Just survive and advance.
aphussey@indiana.edu
@thehussnetwork
