Record days for Chappell, Doss not enough for IU

There weren’t a whole lot of smiles among the ranks of the IU football team after losing a 42-35 thriller at home to No. 19 Michigan on Saturday.

But after answering an array of postgame questions, junior wide receiver Damarlo Belcher couldn’t help but allow a slight smile to curve across his face when a reporter read him a few of the game’s statistics.

“We knew what type of game it was going to be,” Belcher said. “We knew we were going to have to throw the ball in order to score. We knew it was going to come down to the fourth quarter.”

The 6-foot-5-inch receiver hauled in 10 of the 45 total completions thrown by senior quarterback Ben Chappell. But the Belcher receptions — totaling 91 yards — were just a mere part of an IU offensive output that ranks as one of the best in school history.

Altogether, the Hoosiers (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) gained an astounding 568 yards in their heartbreaking defeat at the hands of the Wolverines (5-0, 1-0) at Memorial Stadium.

Michigan scored the deciding touchdown with just 17 seconds left.

The Hoosiers were led offensively by Chappell, who tallied school records in no less than four categories.

Chappell now owns single-game records in completions (45), passing attempts (64), passing yards (480) and total yards of offense (475).

However, the records didn’t do much to console the fifth-year senior following the loss.

“Yeah, that’s all great, but we want to get wins,” Chappell said. “I’d throw 1-for-2 for zero yards if that would get us a win.”

A key target for Chappell was junior wide receiver Tandon Doss.

Doss caught 15 passes for 221 yards, both of which are new career-highs for the receiver.

He now has five 100-yard games to his credit.

“I was just running around making plays,” Doss said. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.”

Receiving wasn’t the only contribution Doss made Saturday.

Doss rushed six times for 21 yards, appearing as a running back in a new offensive formation that the Hoosiers utilized for the first time. He also added 111 yards from kick and punt returns, giving the Indianapolis native 363 all-purpose yards — the third-highest total in school history.

Doss’ numbers were certainly a guiding force to keep IU in the game competitively, especially with Michigan scoring often on the IU defense and, at times, almost at will.

The heavy reliance on the IU offense to counter the Wolverines’ offense didn’t frustrate the junior, however.

“We love that,” Doss said. “Especially the receivers. We love running out on the field and putting the team on our back.”

Previously this season, Doss had been used by IU as a rushing back in a play that saw him start in motion before the snap and take a handoff from Chappell on a sweep around the end of the offensive line.

Two particular offensive miscues, though, derailed the Hoosiers a bit.

Chappell threw his first interception of the season as IU entered the red zone in the middle of the second quarter, taking away a potential scoring opportunity.

The interception was Chappell’s first in his last 138 passing attempts.

“I just tried to force it in there,” Chappell said of the interception. “It was a terrible
throw, too.”

Later, in the fourth quarter after stringing together five first downs, Chappell suffered a 15-yard sack, leaving the Hoosiers with a third-and-27 they couldn’t convert.

All totaled, IU’s offensive performance resulted in a new record for games played between the conference foes.

The 35 points scored and 568 total yards are both new highs for IU in the now 61-game-old series with Michigan.

Michigan, though, added to what was already a substantially lopsided series between the schools by totaling their 52nd win all-time against the Hoosiers, a fact that certainly humbled IU’s record-setting day.