Hoosiers play host to Penn State in RCA Dome

It's a home game, but it isn't at Memorial Stadium. The game is away from home, but the Hoosiers will be considered the home team. Either way, when the Hoosiers travel to Indianapolis Saturday for their meeting with Penn State at the RCA Dome, the site and stadium won't be important to them.\nBuilding on last weekend's win against then-ranked Minnesota, the Hoosiers are confident.\n"I thought we played with a lot of spirit and enthusiasm (last weekend), and I think we'll bring that no matter where we play the game," senior receiver Versie Gaddis said. "It's going to be exciting playing in the RCA Dome."\nThe University decided to move the game from Memorial Stadium to the RCA Dome before the 2000 season in an attempt to increase the fan base throughout the state.\nThis weekend's game, labeled the Steak 'n Shake Hoosier Football Classic, will mark the first time IU has played a game in Indianapolis since a 34-7 loss to Illinois in 1984.\nFor IU coach Cam Cameron, the publicity surrounding the move to the RCA Dome seems to have gone well both for his team and the University.\n"All indications are that the promotion of the game has gone well," Cameron said. "They expect a big crowd and a lot of things will go on that are good for our fans and good for Indianapolis. It sounds like there is going to be a big crowd there."\nCameron said he hopes the presence of a larger crowd might help his team play with more energy against a Penn State (3-5, 2-2) team that has been up and down during the season.\n"How (the crowd) directly relates to our football team is to come out ready to play, flying around and get the crowd involved in the ball game," Cameron said. "That will be the important thing. Let's play well enough to get the crowd going."\nThis season, the Nittany Lions have played and lost two games, one of which was played inside a dome in Minnesota, and both of which were played on on artificial turf. This will be the first game of the season in which IU will play in a dome or on Astroturf.\nThe artificial surface could be an opportunity for IU to attack Penn State on the ground and through the air. With the speed of junior runningback Levron Williams, Gaddis and junior quarterback Antwaan Randle El, things could open up more than last weekend since artificial grass tends to be a faster surface than real grass.\n"We'll play the game anywhere as long as we have the opportunity to go out there, play hard and have an opportunity to win the game," Cameron said. "I don't care where we play."\nThe Hoosiers will get acclimated to the artificial grass with a walk-through on the field late Friday afternoon.\nAlthough the Hoosiers will have to travel farther than they usually do for a home game, they will said they will feel comfortable at the RCA Dome.\n"We're looking at home because we're in Indiana," Williams said. "Even though we're traveling 46 miles to play in the dome, we're still at home"