For a good portion of the last decade, IU football has been little more than a punch line. But Saturday the Hoosiers jumped on top early, and the joke was on their opponent.\nChicago Cubs fans should distance themselves from this team. There is no talk of “next year” surrounding Hoosier football. \nIU coach Bill Lynch is off to the best start of any first-year coach in school history, and the Hoosiers are close to ending the longest bowl drought in the Big Ten.\nTheir 40-20 pummeling of Minnesota confirmed what IU supporters have been saying all year – this is the best Hoosier football team in more than a decade.\nStanding at 5-1 for the first time since 1994, the Hoosiers are in more uncharted territory than the crew from “Lost.” \nThe Hoosiers have had so much success this year they’ve had to re-evaluate their goals. Before the season, bowl eligibility was a hypothetical situation. After Saturday’s game, junior wide receiver James Hardy explained to a reporter the team’s new goal. \n“We’re trying to get to a big bowl game,” he said. \nThe only disappointment from Saturday’s triumph was the lackluster attendance. There was talk last week to “Pack The Rock” and have 50,000 fans in attendance. Instead, there were 32,009.\n“You always want to have a full house, so it’s a little disappointing,” senior cornerback Tracy Porter said after the game. “But it’s not something you’re going to hang your head down low about, because you have those same loyal fans that come week in and week out. To have those fans there really means something for us. We’re not just going to give a half effort because there’s not 50,000 fans in the stands.”\nAttendance aside, things are different when it comes to IU football. No longer a doormat, the Hoosiers are now stepping on their opponents. IU has six games remaining on its schedule and needs only one victory to send the team bowling.\n“I believe we’ve had this in us the whole time since I’ve been here,” Porter said. “It may be a surprise to everyone else out there, but I’ve seen the talent we have and this is the most talented team since I’ve been here.”\nA lot of the lesser-known talent on IU’s football team had big days on Saturday. Junior kicker Austin Starr’s four field goal tied the school record, sophomore running back Bryan Payton ran for three touchdowns and senior cornerback Leslie Majors and sophomore linebacker Will Patterson made interceptions that will have people remembering their names. \n“Indiana is a much improved football team,” Minnesota coach Tim Brewster said. “Coach Hep put together a heck of a squad, and Bill Lynch is doing a great job coaching them right now, and they are playing great football.”\nWhen it comes to giving praise and credit, Lynch is the biggest distributor and smallest receiver in Bloomington. Lynch has done something that no football coach at Indiana has been able to do in more than 10 years: win consistently. \nIt’s a giant sigh of relief for Lynch, Porter and the rest of the Hoosiers when your fan base is laughing with you, not at you.
Predicted: IU 41, Minnesota 21\nActual: IU 40, Minnesota 20
