Column: How do Hoosiers respond?

It’s time to see what is at the heart of the IU football team.

After losing back-to-back games in heartbreaking fashion, IU has a chance to get some momentum back. It has a chance to right the ship.

Or it can crumble.

IU Athletic Director Fred Glass has talked about the resiliency of this team. IU Coach Kevin Wilson has talked about the same thing. Now, it’s time to see it bounce back.

IU fought back against Minnesota after being down 26. It’s the biggest point of pride for the coaching staff, because they believe it illustrates this team’s desire to keep battling.

“It’s a heck of a comeback, and I think it says a lot about our kids, and buying into it, playing hard, and fighting,” Wilson said.

Now it’s time to see if that’s the case come Saturday.

There’s no doubt this team is down. Since beating Penn State, IU has lost its last three games, including back-to-back games in which it was just a couple of plays away from victory.

That’s not easy.

But what the Hoosiers have to remember — what the players and coaches keep harping on — is that this season is not over. Not yet.

IU still mathematically has a chance to make a bowl game. It needs to win three of its remaining four games.

The bigger question is whether the team has the mental fortitude to push through the tough losses and rebound positively and continue to play with passion.

For all the complaints IU football fans have, the one thing they have going for them right now is they’re not Illinois football fans.

It could be worse.

Illinois is riding an 18-game losing streak in the Big Ten dating back to the 2011 season when it finished the season on a six-game losing streak in the conference.

The Illini’s last Big Ten victory came on Oct. 8, 2011, against, you guessed it, IU in Bloomington.

Since the 2011 season, the two programs have gone in different directions. IU has been trending upward, showing improvement the last two seasons.

IU has won two Big Ten games this year, including its first-ever program win against Big Ten foe Penn State.

On its Homecoming, Illinois lost to Michigan State 42-3.

Illinois is not a good football team.

And it has just has much emotional hurt as IU does.

Illinois suffered its own heartbreaker last week to Penn State, falling 24-17 in overtime.

This game showcases two teams that are hurting. It’s going to come down to who can fight through it.

Who wants the win more? Who wants to put away the pain?

The Hoosiers say they do. Senior wide receiver Kofi Hughes tweeted after Saturday’s loss, “Tired of hearing the same stuff.”

Who has more heart?

­— robhowar@indiana.edu