With 8:52 minutes left in the third quarter, IU trailed Bowling Green 19-14 after a 40-yard touchdown pass by the Falcons.
Just 41 seconds later, Coleman broke a handful of tackles for a 28-yard touchdown.
After not scoring in the first half and only rushing for nine total yards, Coleman scored on three consecutive scoring drives for IU in the second half.
Coleman went on to rush for 190 yards on 24 carries in a 45-42 IU loss.
He will enter Saturday’s game at Missouri as the best running back statistically in the nation.
Coleman leads the nation in rushing yards per game.
His 218.5 yards a game are 31.5 more than the nation’s second-leading rusher, Jarvion Franklin of Western Michigan.
“Tevin, I think, realistically is probably one of the more talented, if not as talented as any back in this league,” IU Coach Kevin Wilson said. “He’s an impact guy. Very, very strong. Very, very talented.”
In total yards, Coleman is ranked fifth in the nation. The top four have played in three games, while Coleman has only played two.
The IU offense, which is typically a passing attack offense, has the third-best rushing attack in the country. This season, the Hoosiers average 345 yards on the ground.
IU faces a Missouri defense allowing 17 points per game this season. It has given up 121 total rushing yards per game.
Coleman, by himself, has rushed for nearly 100 yards more than Missouri’s defense has allowed per game.
“They are a very potent offensive football team and have one of the best running backs in the country,” Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel said. “I believe he’s the highest ranked yardage producer in the country right now. He’s a great player.”
Missouri had no problem stopping Coleman last season at ?Memorial Stadium.
The then-sophomore was limited to just 54 yards on 15 carries.
Saturday, Coleman will face two defensive lineman being considered one of the best defensive duos in the country: Shane Ray and Markus Golden.
Of Ray’s seven tackles against Central Florida last week, four of those were for a loss.
In the previous two weeks combined, Golden had five tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
The two have four sacks each through three games.
“They’re one of the best defenses, I would imagine, in this entire country,” IU Offensive Coordinator Kevin Johns said. “Their two defensive ends are as good as anyone we’ll see. They are for sure Sunday NFL-type ?players.”
In IU’s season opener against Indiana State, where Coleman rushed for 247 yards, the offense compiled 566 total yards.
Johns said the offense counts on Coleman to consistently be a part of that production.
“We’re just trying to move the ball and execute as best we can to score as many points as we can,” he said. “When you look at your playmakers — Tevin Coleman. It all starts with Tevin.”
