IU commits 5 turnovers in defeat against University of Illinois

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Ben Chappell heard about how improved the Illinois defense was
all week.

The Fighting Illini lived up to their reputation.

A season-high five turnovers crippled the Hoosiers (4-3, 0-3) on Saturday in their 43-13 loss at Illinois (4-3, 2-2). The five Hoosier turnovers led to 24 Illinois points.

“We didn’t get it done, and that’s on the offense 100 percent,” Chappell said.

The Illini secondary made sure that Chappell would not settle in from the get-go. Faced with a third-and-10 from the IU 8-yard line, the senior quarterback completed his first pass of the day.

Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, it was to the guys in navy.

Chappell threw into double-coverage on the left sideline, and Illinois cornerback Davon Wilson intercepted the pass at the IU 21-yard line.

“On that pick, they played a little different coverage,” Chappell said. “I just tried to squeeze it in there, but I forced it.”

Before a lot of fans were even in their seats, the Illini defense was already showing why it ranks No. 3 in the Big Ten.

“They are a good pass rushing team because they can put pressure on you with four guys without having to blitz a lot, and they are a very talented defensive football team,” IU coach Bill Lynch said.

After the IU defense forced a couple of three-and-outs, it appeared Chappell was settling in. Chappell led the Hoosiers on a 10-play, 85-yard drive that ended with him connecting with redshirt freshman tight end Ted Bolser for a 22-yard touchdown.

The fifth touchdown of the year for Bolser set the single-season record for touchdowns by an IU tight end and gave the Hoosiers their first lead of the day.

The drive seemed to put an end to the offensive miscues as Chappell completed all four of his pass attempts for 67 yards.

But it would be the only touchdown drive that the IU offense would engineer.

With the Illini ahead 10-7 in the second quarter, the Hoosiers sent in redshirt freshman quarterback Dusty Kiel to run the Wildcat formation. On the first play of the drive, Illinois linebacker Ian Thomas forced Kiel to fumble, and the Illini recovered.

For the second time, IU turned the ball back to the Illini. And for the second time, it gave the Illini starting field position inside the IU 23-yard line.

The Illini capitalized on the short field, scoring on a 17-yard touchdown reception by wideout Jarred Fayson. With 9:47 still remaining in the first half, the Hoosiers had time to recover from the 17-7 deficit.

On the next possession, Chappell led the offense back into Illinois territory. The Hoosiers elected to go for it on a fourth-and-10 at the Illinois 36-yard line.

A fourth-down conversion would have had the Hoosiers in position to make it a one-score game. Chappell hung in the pocket going through his progressions and tried hitting a crossing Tandon Doss.

But Illinois cornerback Patrick Nixon-Youman had the junior receiver covered. Nixon-Youman intercepted Chappell’s pass and took it 68 yards the other way for the Illini touchdown.

“You don’t think it’s going to go back for six,” Chappell said. “I held it, held it, held it and got hit, and I couldn’t get enough on it. I was trying to make a play, and I forced it.”

The rout was on.

A 27-10 halftime deficit was too much for the Hoosiers to overcome. Another Chappell interception and a pick-six of Kiel in the second half marked the most turnovers the Illinois defense forced in more than nine years.

It is a statistic that Lynch knows his team must correct to get its first Big Ten win.

“We just can’t turn the ball over like we did and expect to win a Big Ten football game,” Lynch said. “We just weren’t efficient enough to expect to score.”

Each of the Hoosiers’ turnovers either were returned for a touchdown or set the Illinois offense up in IU territory. Chappell’s three interceptions tied a career-high, but Lynch said he has no doubt that his senior signal-caller will battle back.

“I played his position too, and sometimes it happens,” Lynch said. “You have days like today, but nobody will bounce back better than he will, and I’ll take Ben Chappell any day of the week.”