The past three weeks have captured every emotion one could have about IU ?football.
The Bowling Green loss led to embarrassment.
The Missouri win sparked optimism and excitement.
The Maryland loss conveyed disappointment.
The roller coaster month could be looked at as valuable experience.
IU’s 49-24 win against North Texas on Saturday seemed like a culmination of all the things the Hoosiers had learned about themselves and a bridge of confidence heading into the rest of the Big Ten season.
The win itself is no impressive feat, but a consistent performance was needed if IU wanted to internally feel capable of contending in the next seven games on the schedule.
IU needed to get its swagger back, and the way Wilson and Co. opened this game was a clear indication they had it.
On the first series, freshman Tegray Scales had an interception that resulted in a Tevin Coleman touchdown.
The Hoosiers built on that on the next play with a bold onside kick attempt that sophomore linebacker Clyde Newton recovered. IU went on to take the lead 14-0.
It was not just that they moved the ball, it was the way they did so.
There were consecutive jet sweeps plus two fourth-down conversions. Wilson’s Hoosiers were having fun out there.
Heading into this game, there were a lot of things we knew IU did well and other aspects that seemed ?stunted.
IU showed progress in the areas of concern in a game where they knew they could afford to work on things.
Nate Sudfeld was coming off an uncomfortable 14-for-37 outing and responded with his most efficient game of the season.
He completed just shy of 80 percent of his passes. During the week he commented on how he had been tentative with his decision-making, and this week he was not by any means with 45- and 76-yard touchdown passes to senior receiver Shane Wynn.
Wynn and Sudfeld had been failing to connect on deep balls in previous games despite multiple opportunities.
Now Sudfeld feels confident to launch the ball downfield, and opposing defenses will have to be cautious of Wynn. This will open things up for other aspects of the offense.
Against Maryland, the Hoosiers failed to produce when receivers were in one-on-one situations, but this week they capitalized on it.
There is a talent difference between the corners they faced, but it may be the principle that matters.
After the 37-15 loss to Maryland last week, IU needed a game to get its confidence back and to develop parts of the team that were not quite ready yet.
As much as the season thus far feels like chaos, a non-conference record of 3-1 was the general goal heading in.
Nothing about this IU team feels secure or stable yet.
The Big Ten slate could eat them alive, or the Hoosiers may have straightened out their kinks by then.
The sense I get watching this team is that they are capable of a lot, but there is no real gauge determining who they will be when the season is over.
IU coach Kevin Wilson knows this, and that is why he is not basing the season on little goals but instead on maximizing the squad’s ?potential.
“Our deal isn’t doing it back-to-back,” Wilson said. “It’s doing as much as we can.”
After the Missouri win, I wrote that when IU mentally showed up and did all the little things right, they were able to put together a top-25 victory.
I think this team is capable of stringing together anywhere between three or five wins in the next seven Big Ten games.
But, with the lack of consistency this team has displayed, I could never say that confidently.
This win does not mean much, but it could be the game that assured this team what they do well and where they can still improve. Then the coaching staff can build off that knowledge.
The Hoosiers have showed IU fans that they can show up as many different teams.
Which team shows up is up to them.
Wilson said it best.
“The way they played today was nothing more than a choice,” he said.
