Football compiles first season winning streak, beats Michigan State 37-28

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Cam Cameron has given up on conventional methods of playing football.\nNow in his fifth season as IU head coach, Cameron has tried what's supposed to work. This season he's trying something else.\nThe different approach worked Saturday in a 37-28 victory over No. 22 Michigan State.\nThe Hoosiers faked a field goal, faked a fake punt and relied solely on the rushing game in winning their second straight game.\n"The minute we try to start winning by the book here at Indiana, they will fire me," said Cameron, whose Hoosiers are now 3-5 (3-3 Big Ten). "They will fire me, because we're not gonna win that way.\nIf we had lost by two points, or three points, you would have run me out of town for faking that field goal. But that sent a message to our team of how we're gonna play, because we're gonna have to play football that way, and no other way."\nPlaying Cameron's way meant running the ball down the Spartans' throats and mixing in a trick play or two.\nIU established the ground game early, when senior quarterback Antwaan Randle El took the ball around the right end for a 57-yard touchdown less than four minutes into the game. Randle El changed the play at the line of scrimmage, one of several successful audibles he called throughout the day.\n"We got into the right play a lot of times," he said. "That's big. If I can get my offense in the right play every time we come to the line, then we've got a great chance of winning the game."\nAfter Randle El opened the scoring, IU had trouble finding the right play again until the second quarter.\nThe Hoosiers went three-and-out on their next two possessions, while the Spartans (5-3, 3-3) scored back-to-back touchdowns and took a 14-7 lead. IU then went on a 20-play, 86-yard drive that lasted nine minutes.\nThe drive started in the first quarter and stalled early in the second quarter, but one of Cameron's not-so-conventional plays kept the drive alive.\nOn fourth-and-seven at the Michigan State 36-yard line, Randle El lined up in punt formation. He faked a run to the right before pooch punting down the middle of the field.\nAfter the ball bounced, the Spartans' Duron Bryan touched it, and IU sophomore cornerback Michael Hanley recovered it at the 17. Senior tailback Levron Williams scored four plays later, tying the score at 14-14. \nThe touchdown was one of three Williams had on the day. He finished with 251 yards, the third-highest total Michigan State has ever allowed to one player. IU's 489 yards rushing were the second-highest team total given up by the Spartans.\n"That's what we pride ourselves on, the rushing," senior center Craig Osika said. "We tend to think that we have the best offensive line in the Big Ten. The rushing statistics show that we're the No. 1 rushing offense in the Big Ten.\n"When we do everything right and knock guys off the ball, we're able to get that kind of yardage."\nIU got its biggest chunk of yardage late in the second quarter, when Williams glided 80 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown and a 28-21 IU lead two minutes before halftime. The Hoosiers had another chance to score after forcing Michigan State to punt, but a fake field goal was unsuccessful.\nIU continued to run with relative ease in the second half, but twice the Hoosiers put together long drives and came up empty-handed. A drive midway through the third quarter ended with a missed field goal, and one in the fourth ended with a fumble at the Michigan State 5-yard line.\nOn first-and-goal, Randle El ran left and tried a late pitch to Williams. Williams got hit as he caught the ball, and Josh Thornhill recovered for the Spartans.\n"Stupid play," Randle El said. "And I don't normally say 'stupid,' but that was just a bonehead play."\nStupid, maybe, but the Hoosiers kept plugging and get redemption, as freshman linebacker Herana-Daze Jones intercepted Spartan sophomore Jeff Smoker on the ensuing drive, and Williams finished the scoring two plays later.\nAfter trotting through the end zone, Williams cupped his ear with his hand and aimed it at Michigan State fans. The celebration drew a personal foul and 15-yard penalty.\nThe victory gives IU a chance to win three consecutive games for the first time in Cameron's tenure. The Hoosiers travel to Penn State Saturday.\n"It's very possible," said Randle El of the opportunity to win three straight. "Penn State's a great football team. They're on a roll right now. They're basically in the same position we are. It's gonna be a fight."\nJust don't plan on it being a conventional one.