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Tuesday, March 19
The Indiana Daily Student

sports football

Instant Recap: IU football loses to No. 18 Penn State, 33-28

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* FINAL: No. 18 Penn State defeats IU 33-28.

The Hoosiers had the lead for most of the first half against the Nittany Lions and stayed competitive for the first three quarters, but a lackluster second-half effort allowed the Nittany Lions to pull away.

Poor kickoff coverage and untimely fumbles were the major disappointments of the day for IU, which has now lost three straight games.

Freshman quarterback Michael Penix Jr. played most of the first half for IU but was hurt in the third quarter with an apparent knee injury.

Trace McSorley had two rushing touchdowns for the Nittany Lions, and Penn State was able to jump back on numerous near-fumbles which IU couldn't recover.

Freshman running Stevie Scott had more than 100 rushing and two touchdowns in his best performance since week three, while the IU defense did better in the passing game but still allowed several long-distance chunk plays to Penn State.

IU is now 4-4 overall and 1-4 in conference games, while Penn State improves to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in Big Ten games.

IU will play at Minnesota next Friday night.

* TOUCHDOWN (0:40 left in 4th quarter) J-Shun Harris has another receiving touchdown, a 21-yard reception in the end zone. IU cuts the deficit to 33-28, but needs an onside kick recovery.

* INTERCEPTION (4:35 left in 4th quarter) Peyton Ramsey throws his first interception of the game on a deflected pass that tried to find wide receiver Luke Timian.

* TOUCHDOWN (10:25 left in 4th quarter) Trace McSorley with a four-yard rushing touchdown, his second rushing score of the game, to give Penn State its first double-digit lead of the game.

The Nittany Lions took advantage of the turnover, and McSorley now has 80 rushing yards today and is his team's leading rusher.

The extra point is good this time and Penn State leads 33-21.

* FUMBLE (12:03 left in 4th quarter) J-Shun Harris II fumbles the ball to Penn State while returning a punt for IU.

Penn State gets the ball at the IU 32-yard line.

It's the second time IU has fumbled the ball today.

* END of 3rd Quarter: No. 18 Penn State leads IU, 26-21.

* TOUCHDOWN (3:41 left in 3rd quarter) Less than 20 seconds after going behind, No. 18 Penn State has the lead again.

The Nittany Lions use a 94-yard kick return by Johnathan Taylor as a springboard, and then Trace McSorley runs the ball in from five yards out for the score.

Brandon Wilson blocks the extra point attempt by Pinegar, but IU still trails 26-21.

* TOUCHDOWN (4:01 left in 3rd quarter) Stevie Scott bowls forward for a three-yard touchdown run. He now has 103 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the game.

With the extra point from Logan Justus, IU leads Penn State 21-20.

* INJURY and EJECTION (7:06 left in 3rd quarter) Penix appeared to suffer a knee injury and was helped to the locker room by IU trainers.

Meanwhile, Penn State's Garrett Taylor was ejected for targeting against Penix.

It is likely going to be only Peyton Ramsey at quarterback for IU the rest of the way.

* QUARTERBACK CHANGE (7:12 left in 3rd quarter) Michael Penix Jr. is back at quarterback for IU, but he's now down injured.

The play is being reviewed for targeting against Penix.

* FIELD GOAL (7:16 left in 3rd quarter) Pinegar connects on a 32-yard field goal and the Penn State lead is now six points.

The Nittany Lions made it all the way to the 16-yard line of the Hoosiers, but after injuries suffered by linebacker Reakwon Jones and cornerback Andre Brown Jr., the Hoosiers did well to force a field goal.

IU trails 20-14.

* FUMBLE (12:20 left in 3rd quarter) Ronnie Walker Jr. fumbles the ball away to Penn State as IU entered Penn State territory.

A promising opening drive to the second half for IU, with Peyton Ramsey back at quarterback, ends with the turnover.

Stevie Scott has carried the IU backfield today with nearly 90 yards rushing, but Walker also had a 30-yard touchdown earlier.

* HALFTIME: IU trails No. 18 Penn State 17-14.

Very confusing sequence to end the half for IU. After turning the ball over on downs with less than two minutes left at the Penn State 10-yard line, IU got another chance with about one minute left.

IU had a 3rd and 20 situation, in which Ramsey threw a screen pass to Ricky Brookins, but Brookins was tackled in bounds and IU had no timeouts left.

IU was unable to get another play off as some members of the field goal unit ran onto the field while the offensive players also stayed on the field.

In a half largely controlled by IU, Penn State leads 17-14 at the break.

Michael Penix Jr. went 9 of 19 passing for 94 yards as he played most of the first half for IU. A total of 11 different IU receivers caught a pass.

Stevie Scott has 66 yards rushing as well, while Bryant Fitzgerald has an interception on defense. 

* QUARTERBACK CHANGE (1:10 left in the 2nd quarter) For what is likely the final IU offensive possession of the half, Peyton Ramsey is back in the game for Penix. IU starts at the PSU 41-yard line after a bad punt.

* TURNOVER ON DOWNS (1:50 left in the 2nd quarter) Down by three points, IU faced a 4th and 1 situation at the Penn State 10-yard line.

IU elected to go for it, and Penix fired a pass over the head of wide receiver Nick Westbrook who was camped out in the corner of the end zone. Penn State takes over with a 17-14 lead.

* FIELD GOAL (6:27 left in the 2nd quarter) Penn State takes the lead back with a 27-yard field goal by Jake Pinegar. Once again it was a chunk play that got Penn State into scoring territory, with  a 59-yard pass from McSorley to Juwan Johnson being the major play on this drive.

Penn State leads IU 17-14.

* TOUCHDOWN (10:08 left in the 2nd quarter) Penn State quarterback Tommy Stevens gets the ball after a misdirection play with McSorley, and finds a wide open Pat Freiermuth in the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown pass.

Before the score, McSorley provided the big play of the drive by running straight up the middle of the field for a 44-yard gain.



Stevens, who now has a touchdown pass in the game, is an Indiana native who attended high school at Decatur Central in Indianapolis.

The game is tied 14-14.

* INTERCEPTION (14:07 left in 2nd quarter) Bryant Fitzgerald intercepts Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley on a tipped pass on third down for Penn State.

IU takes over at its own 28-yard line following its first takeaway of the game.

* END of 1st Quarter: IU leads No. 18 Penn State 14-7.

* TOUCHDOWN (1:06 left in 1st quarter) IU capitalizes on the poorly-executed fake punt by Penn State and Ronnie Walker Jr. scores on a 30-yard touchdown run.

Penix remained at quarterback for IU on the drive.



IU leads No. 18 Penn State 14-7.

* TURNOVER ON DOWNS (2:09 left in 1st quarter) Penn State tries a fake punt on a 4th and 5 situation inside its own territory and it goes badly.



Peyton Hendershot crushed punter Blake Gillikan and the Hoosiers take over in PSU territory. 

The game is still tied 7-7.

* QUARTERBACK CHANGE (4:52 left in 1st quarter) Michael Penix Jr. has entered the game at quarterback for IU. Peyton Ramsey did not appear to be injured, so it looks like a coaching decision to play Penix for the third time this season.

* TOUCHDOWN (10:18 left in 1st quarter) IU responds to Penn State's opening touchdown with one of its own.

The Hoosiers took the ball down the field with authority, culminating in a five-yard touchdown run by Stevie Scott. The eight-play, 75-yard drive featured a 17-yard pass from Peyton Ramsey to Donavan Hale and a 26-yard rush by wide receiver Whop Philyor.



The game is tied 7-7.

* TOUCHDOWN (13:00 left in 1st quarter) Penn State received the opening kickoff and has taken a 7-0 lead with a dominating opening drive. Miles Sanders easily scores on a one-yard run to put the Nittany Lions on the board. 

Penn State's KJ Hamler took the opening kickoff 58 yards to the IU 36-yard line. Five plays laters, Sanders scored on the run. The big play of the drive was a blown coverage by IU's defense which allowed Sanders to have a 29-yard reception.

Penn State leads 7-0.

* IU's inactive players for today's game are safety Devon Matthews, linebacker T.D. Roof and defensive tackle Jacob Robinson. 

Offensive lineman Coy Cronk was dressed during warmups for IU, as was wide receiver Whop Philyor.

* Welcome to this afternoon's live updates page for the football game between IU and No. 18 Penn State. The Hoosiers enter the game with a 4-3 overall record and a 1-3 mark in conference games, while the Nittany Lions are 4-2 overall and 1-2 in conference games.

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