Being in my second year as an IU football writer for the Indiana Daily Student, my family has been exposed to far more IU football news than it otherwise would have.
I’m from Dallas, so most of my communication with my parents comes via text messages. These involve discussion about my work at IU’s student newspaper, who the football team plays each week and so on.
My father, Graham Drummond, even texts me during games to offer his analysis of IU’s game when it’s on national television.
He was born in Scotland and his strongest sports connection is with soccer, but now even he understands the disappointment IU football provides weekly.
This is the story of IU’s 33-28 home loss to No. 18 Penn State, told through his texts to me during the game.
The Hoosiers started the game abysmally. A lengthy kick return gave Penn State generous starting field position, and just two minutes later the visitors had taken a 7-0 lead.
IU responded with an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive capped by a five-yard rush by freshman running back Stevie Scott. My father bought in.
“TD nice come back,” he wrote.
Then, the extraordinary happened. IU controlled the game against Penn State. Freshman running back Ronnie Walker Jr. sped into the end zone from 30 yards out and freshman husky Bryant Fitzgerald intercepted Penn State senior quarterback Trace McSorley.
Memorial Stadium was alive with energy and optimism.
“What is going on lol,” my father texted. “Just enjoy.”
For those that braved the chilly temperatures and whipping wind Saturday, the enjoyment was short-lived.
Penn State compiled consecutive scoring drives in the second quarter. Meanwhile, IU punted, accidentally went for it on 4th and 1 from the Penn State 10-yard line and didn’t convert and then wasted an end-of-half opportunity for points with disorganized clock management that saw players from two different units on the field simultaneously.
Rapid fire texts before halftime from my father echoed the pain of so many Hoosier fans.
“That was too easy.”
“Omg kick the fg.”
“Fire drill lol.”
Still, the Hoosiers were down just 17-14 at halftime, within touching distance of an upset win against a ranked conference opponent. As my father wrote it “doesn’t get any better.”
Well, he was right. It didn’t get any better for IU.
Sure the Hoosiers took a brief 21-20 lead late in the third quarter, but it lasted mere seconds.
After a 94-yard kick return and a five-yard rush from McSorley, Penn State was back in front for good.
An early fourth-quarter fumble by wide receiver J-Shun Harris II on a punt return led to another short touchdown run from McSorley.
“That was very unfortunate,” my father wrote as the ball bounced from Harris’ arms into those of Penn State senior safety Nick Scott.
But, there was still time for the Hoosiers to do their usual schtick in Big Ten games — generate a late-game scoring drive and get the ball back with a chance to win the game.
My father’s fingers darted toward the exclamation points on his keyboard.
“TD!!!!”
“Onside kick. They got it - wow.”
Then IU’s final possession happened, and the expectation of all those who left Memorial Stadium during the second half came to fruition. The Hoosiers once again messed with the hearts and minds of their supporters, only to come up painfully short as the clock ran out of time.
“The game was right there for them to take,” was my father’s final text of the night.
He’s only been watching IU football for two years, but he might as well be a lifetime fan.
He’s learned so much.
@cdrummond97
cpdrummo@iu.edu
