Coming off a disappointing loss at Ohio State last weekend, the IU football team bounced back in grand fashion Saturday, defeating Michigan State 46-21. The Homecoming victory lifted IU to 5-4 overall and 3-2 in conference.
In the win, freshman quarterback Kellen Lewis threw for five touchdowns with sophomore receiver James Hardy pulling down four of the five catches.
Michigan State struck first on a 38-yard touchdown hook-up between quarterback Drew Stanton and Devin Thomas, but the Hoosiers would score on their first two possessions to take the first quarter lead.
Sophomore kicker Austin Starr nailed a 34-yard field goal for IU's first score, and Lewis found Hardy in the end zone to give IU the 10-7 first quarter lead.
The Spartans were unable to contain Lewis in the second quarter as the freshman continued to lead IU down the field.
Lewis would throw for two more touchdowns in the quarter, a 26-yard pass to a wide open Marcus Thigpen and a 2-yard strike to Hardy.
With just 20 seconds remaining in the half, Spartan running back Jehuu Caulcrick fumbled the ball. Linebacker Adam McClurg recovered on the Michigan State 17-yard line.
Capitalizing on the turnover, Lewis threw his fourth touchdown pass of the day with just seven seconds remaining. His target was Hardy, pulling in his third touchdown of the first half.
Starr would miss the PAT, but IU took a 30-7 lead into halftime. Lewis finished the half 12-for-20 for 174 yards along with his four touchdown passes.
IU's offensive onslaught would continue in the third quarter as Lewis rushed for a score and threw for another one bringing his passing total to five. Once again, Hardy was the receiver. Four touchdowns in a game is the most all-time by a Hoosier receiver.
The cream and crimson added two more points on a safety late in the third quarter that extended the gap to 46-7.
Late in the game, Michigan State was able to score two touchdowns of its own, but it was too late as the Hoosiers claimed the Big Ten victory.
