Hoosiers suffer another 4th quarter loss

INDIANAPOLIS -- In four years, he has done a lot of things. He brought in his own players and coaches. He installed a high-powered offense with a talented quarterback. He was able to move a home game to Indianapolis. \nBut coach Cam Cameron hasn't been able to teach his team one crucial aspect of football.\nCameron has not taught the Hoosiers how to finish football games.\nIn the latest disappointing game Saturday, IU once again led for most of the game before falling apart in the end. Penn State senior kicker Ryan Primanti knocked in a 39-yard field goal with 18 seconds left to propel the Nittany Lions to a 27-24 win before 43,122 spectators at the RCA Dome Saturday night.\nThe Hoosiers held the lead until Penn State (4-5, 3-2 Big Ten) tied the game at 21 with 1:50 left in the third quarter on a two-yard touchdown pass from Nittany Lion senior quarterback Rashard Casey to junior tight end John Gilmore. Penn State took the lead on its next possession on another 39-yard field goal by Primanti.\nIU followed with a 16-play, six-minute drive that went deep into Nittany Lion territory. The drive ended with a 29-yard field goal by senior kicker Andy Payne with 1:59 left in the game. \nAlthough there was a controversial no-call on Penn State's winning drive, Cameron said the Hoosiers inability to get in the end zone on that drive was the decisive factor.\n"If we get down there, especially late in the ballgame, we have to score," Cameron said. "That's the story of the ballgame in our minds as coaches. We had opportunities to score, we just didn't execute. That was the difference in the ballgame."\nLast week against Minnesota, IU (3-5, 2-3) was able to make plays on both sides of the ball. The defense created two turnovers against the Gophers in the fourth quarter that led to touchdowns for the Hoosiers. Saturday, IU didn't step up in the fourth quarter.\n"We just didn't make the plays we made a week ago and that's the difference in the ballgame," Cameron said. "In close ballgames you're going to have to make plays and eliminate turnovers. If you do that, you win. If you don't, you come up short."\nOn the other hand, the Nittany Lions did the things they had to do in order to win in the late stages of the game. Casey said he knew his team had a chance since the Nittany Lions had been able to finish games earlier in the season.\n"I never really thought we were out of it," Casey said. "I think our two-minute offense is one of the better parts of our game."\nPenn State coach Joe Paterno gave credit to his quarterback for his execution. \n"I thought it was great," Paterno said of Casey's play in the last two minutes. "He took his time. He was careful. He didn't try to do it all in a hurry. He did a great job."\nCasey outdueled IU's junior quarterback Antwaan Randle El throughout the game. Casey threw for 198 yards and a touchdown on 18 of 23 passing and no interceptions. Randle El, on the other hand, completed just nine of 22 passes for 88 yards and three interceptions. After rushing for 210 yards last week against Minnesota, Randle El was held to 66 yards on the ground.\nIn the week leading up to the game, there had been some talk of Randle El saying he plays at a higher level than Casey. Casey said he kept Randle El's words in mind during the game.\n"Yeah, he made some comments, but I can play with him on my worst day," Casey said. "Talking doesn't get the job done."\nEarly in Saturday's game, the Hoosiers used a steady ground game to move down the field with ease. IU threw the ball only three times in the first half. Junior running back Levron Williams had another good game with 135 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. Williams scored the first points of the game with a 25-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter.\nPenn State responded with a drive that lasted more than six minutes and was capped off by a 12-yard touchdown run by sophomore tailback Larry Johnson. After senior fullback De'Wayne Hogan scored from five yards out with just more than nine minutes left before halftime, Nittany Lion junior tailback Eric McCoo evened the score at 14 with a five-yard touchdown scamper eight minutes later.\nOn the Hoosiers' second scoring drive, Randle El was hit awkwardly and was replaced by sophomore quarterback Tommy Jones for three plays before returning for the rest of the game.\n"He's fine," Cameron said. "He got his knee tangled up a little bit."\nThe Nittany Lions had a shot at the lead early in the third quarter when they drove to the Hoosiers' two-yard line. On third down, McCoo ran outside and was grabbed by sophomore safety Ron Bethel. While Bethel brought him down, junior linebacker Justin Smith knocked the ball loose and junior cornerback Sharrod Wallace picked it up and ran back to the Hoosiers' 31-yard line.\nOn the play, Wallace sprained his ankle and was out for the rest of the game.\n"That hurt us," Cameron said. "He's playing good. That hurt us and they took advantage of it and that's to their credit."\nSenior defensive tackle Paul Mandina said his team would respond to the tough loss next week at Illinois.\n"This hurts a little bit, but we're going to rebound from it," he said.\nIn the same day that his wife Missy gave birth to their fourth child, Cameron took responsibility for his team not getting the job down in the final moments of the game.\n"Mom got her job done, but dad didn't," Cameron said.