Hoeppner wants 50,000 fans for Michigan State

Terry Hoeppner has a simple request for homecoming Saturday: When his Hoosiers host Michigan State at Memorial Stadium, the second-year coach wants 50,000 fans in attendance to cheer on IU.\n"We've issued a challenge to the Hoosier nation," Hoeppner said. "The challenge is we need 50,000 screaming Hoosier fans for the Michigan State game. I'm not settling for 49,999, and I know Hoosier nation won't let me down."\nIU's last home game was a 31-28 upset over then-No. 15 Iowa on Oct. 14. The paid attendance for the win was listed at 31,392.\nHoeppner said he knows how valuable a boisterous crowd can be, especially after the upset against Iowa.\n"The crowd was so important and such a big part of the Iowa win," Hoeppner said. "We had a home-field advantage, and that might be the loudest I've heard (at Memorial Stadium). ... And the crowd grew as the game went on."\nFifty thousand fans are not unheard of for IU's home football games. In the 2005 season, the paid attendance topped the 50,000 mark twice, against Ohio State (52,866) on Oct. 22 and versus in-state rival Purdue (50,023) on Nov. 19.\nIn six home games last season, Memorial Stadium averaged almost 40,000 fans. Through five games this season, the average has dipped to fewer than 31,000 fans per game.\nMemorial Stadium has a total seating capacity of 52,180.\nAlong with Hoeppner's challenge to fill Memorial Stadium this Saturday, the IU seniors are looking forward to their last homecoming game in the cream and crimson jerseys.\n"It's pretty much a big, big day," senior wide receiver Jahkeen Gilmore said. "It's definitely going to be an exciting atmosphere. The last one is definitely going to be a memorable one. I'm just enjoying the moment right now."\nSenior safety Will Meyers echoed Gilmore's sentiments about playing his last few games in Bloomington and the relationship the IU football team has developed with its fans.\n"We never look forward to playing away from 'the Rock,' our home field," Meyers said Oct. 3 as the Hoosiers prepared for their first Big Ten road game of the season. "We really like the thing we've got going here with our fans."\nAfter closing out the nonconference season on a low note with two straight losses and falling in the Big Ten opener against Wisconsin, IU rebounded in its next two games. The Hoosiers traveled to Illinois and won on a last-second field goal from sophomore kicker Austin Starr before returning to Memorial Stadium to upset the then-No. 15 Iowa Hawkeyes.\nHoeppner said he knows winning is key to drawing fans to come out and see the Hoosiers during home games.\n"We've done a good job of going out and promoting, but we've got to back it up on the field," Hoeppner said. "I've said we could (win) without home-field advantage, but it's sure going to be a lot easier and a lot more fun if we do it with a great student section and a packed house"