Indiana 28, Northwestern 31 - [Fourth quarter - FINAL]
After reviewing the play, the play stands. Northwestern recovers the fumble and the game is over.
Once again, IU has let a win slip out of their hands.
We're going down to the media room for interviews and the press conference. We'll have more later. A huge win for Northwestern, a devastating loss for IU.
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Indiana 28, Northwestern 31 - [Fourth quarter - 0:12]
With 22 seconds left, the worst-case scenario played out for the Hoosiers.
Lewis was sacked, and that's where the gray area begins. On the replay, it appears he tucked the ball, then brought it back out and fumbled/spiked/pass/lost it into the ground. The play is under review. The ruling on the field gave the ball to the Wildcats.
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Indiana 28, Northwestern 31 - [Fourth quarter - 0:22]
Northwestern got good pressure on Lewis on first down, forcing the quarterback to throw the ball away.
On second down, Lewis found Fisher on the left side of the field for a first down.
The Hoosiers use their second timeout to stop the clock. IU has the ball on the 34.
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Indiana 28, Northwestern 31 - [Fourth quarter - 0:38]
IU will start from their 35. They have a long way to go to set up a possible Austin Starr field goal.
A strike to Andrew Means puts the ball at Northwestern's 48. The Hoosiers need another 15 yards to reasonably give Starr a chance.
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Indiana 28, Northwestern 31 - [Fourth quarter - 0:44]
Bacher keeps the ball on the option play and advances the ball five yards to the three. Austin Thomas came up and made the big tackle to keep the quarterback out of the end zone.
On third and two, Bacher hit Lane in the end zone for the touchdown.
The Hoosiers have two timeout lefts and 44 seconds on the clock. I would guess IU's chances of winning rest in a James Hardy hail mary. That's IU's best option.
A squib kick is most likely following Northwestern's extra point.
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Indiana 28, Northwestern 24 - [Fourth quarter - 1:30]
Facing second and seven from IU's 8, Northwestern calls timeout.
The game has come down to this drive. If Northwestern can score they will be in great position to win and gain bowl eligibility. If the Hoosiers defense can hold the Wildcats, the game will be over and the Hoosiers will have their seventh win.
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Indiana 28, Northwestern 24 - [Fourth quarter - 2:11]
A keeper by Bacher up the middle moves the ball to the 12. The play gives Northwestern third an inches.
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Indiana 28, Northwestern 24 - [Fourth quarter - 2:47]
A great third down pass by Bacher moves Northwestern to midfield.
With just four minutes left, Bacher handed the ball to Sutton for a three-yard gain up the middle. On second down, Bacher flipped the ball to Sutton for a first down.
On first down again, a 15-yard pass to Lane gives the Wildcats another first down.
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Indiana 28, Northwestern 24 - [Fourth quarter - 5:34]
Another Hardy touchdown puts the Hoosiers back on top.
A methodical 80-yard drive down field put the Hoosiers in scoring position. On third down from inside Northwestern's five, IU lined up five wide. With four wide receivers on one side of the field and Hardy on the other, Hardy faked the fade route, and cut towards the middle of the field.
Lewis's pass hit Hardy in the numbers and no one was within five feet of him for the easy score.
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Indiana 21, Northwestern 24 - [Fourth quarter - 8:15]
The Hoosiers are moving the ball down field, partially thanks to Northwestern's lack of defense.
On third and 14, Lewis scrambled for a first down. A play later, a short pass to Fisher gives the Hoosiers a first down and an additional 15 yards thanks to a personal foul on the Wildcats.
IU now has the ball on Northwestern's 30.
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Indiana 21, Northwestern 24 - [Fourth quarter - 10:19]
Northwestern fans are shaking their heads in dismay just as much as Hoosier fans are.
Facing third and goal from the two-yard line, Bacher lofted a fade pass to the back pylon only to have it intercepted by Porter. Porter stepped out of bounds for the touchback.
That gives Porter his second pick of the game, and conference-leading sixth of the season. More importantly, it keeps the Wildcats off the scoreboard and gives the Hoosiers the ball back.
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Indiana 21, Northwestern 24 - [End of Third quarter]
On a dead play that could only be kept alive by Lewis or Michael Vick in Madden, IU's quarterback found James Hardy for a big gain. Hardy used his old basketball skills to perfectly box out the defensive back for the catch.
On second and seven from Northwestern's 11, Lewis found Hardy again over the middle for the touchdown.
The score pulls the Hoosiers within three points. The Lewis-Hardy connection has brought IU back into the game. Hardy's catch gives him 14 touchdowns for the season, extending the school record he set last week.
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Indiana 14, Northwestern 24 - [Third quarter - 2:52]
I retract my description of Porter's penalty being frustrating.
The last play put "frustrating" in a whole new context.
Inside IU's red zone, Bacher faked a pass and handed the ball to wide receiver Brandon Roberson. Roberson's pass sailed into the end zone, but Tracy Porter made a play and got a few fingers on the ball. But it wasn't enough.
The ball deflected off Porter's hands and fell into Northwestern wide receiver Kim Thompson's hands for a touchdown. The play was reviewed, but stood.
The Wildcats have now scored 21 unanswered points.
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Indiana 14, Northwestern 17 - [Third quarter - 8:52]
The frustrations continue to mount for the Hoosiers.
Another great punt by Hines forced Northwestern to wave for a fair catch around the five. After the Wildcat caught the ball, gunner Tracy Porter shoved the player out of bounds - an easy 15-yard penalty.
Instead of being buried inside the five, Northwestern now starts from the much more comfortable 26. Just another mental lapse by the Hoosiers.
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Indiana 14, Northwestern 17 - [Third quarter - 8:59]
At midfield on third and seven, Lewis fired a bullet to James Bailey down field, only to have it slip off his fingertips. The Hoosiers are punting.
Omri: I agree with you completely and I think you'd struggle to find someone who thinks otherwise. Chappell threw maybe eight warmup passes on the sideline being thrown into the game. On third and six, Chappell tried to throw a short slant pass to the sideline to his right, but the pass had no zip on it. It really was a perfect pass to the Northwestern linebacker that he hit in stride.
Six yards is short enough to try and run and pick up the first down. Worst case scenario you punt, which would have saved the Hoosiers seven points.
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Indiana 14, Northwestern 17 - [Third quarter - 11:26]
A short rushing touchdown by Tyrell Sutton puts Northwestern ahead. That marks a 14-point swing in the game from IU's touchdown reversal to Northwestern's actual score.
The Hoosier offense has looked good today, but not fantastic. They'll need a score on this drive to even out the score and momentum.
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Indiana 14, Northwestern 10 - [Third quarter - 13:45]
Let's review what just happened.
Two minutes ago, the Hoosiers were leading 21-10 and cruising to victory.
But the play was reviewed and reversed. The Hoosiers were flagged for an illegal lateral pass, given a five-yard penalty and a loss of down, and were forced to punt from deep in their own territory.
On the punt return, Northwestern had a modest return, but was aided by a 15-yard facemask penalty on Will Patterson. The Wildcats now have the ball on IU's 45.
What a change of events.
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Indiana 14, Northwestern 10 - [Third quarter - 14:00]
The Hoosiers were footsteps away from a touchdown.
On third and long - very long - Lewis scrambled to his left, bought time for his receivers to get down field, and fired a bomb to Ray Fisher for the touchdown.
But after reviewing the play, it was determined Lewis has crossed the line of scrimmage when he threw his pass, making the touchdown null.
Instead of a two-possession lead, the Hoosiers will now punt from their own territory, giving Northwestern a chance to take the lead.
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Indiana 14, Northwestern 10 - [Halftime ]
The Hoosiers were unable to convert on third down, forcing a punt to Northwestern, who ran out the clock.
A topsy-turvy first half for IU. They score on a kick-return by James Bailey and a rush by Lewis. They give up their only touchdown on an interception by backup quarterback Ben Chappell on his only play from scrimmage.
I'll try and get some stats up here as soon as I get them. Stay tuned.
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Indiana 14, Northwestern 10 - [Second quarter - 0:33]
The Hoosiers have moved the ball to Northwestern's 43. A 12-yard rush by Lewis and a short six-yard pass to Hardy put them there. Hardy's reception gives him the school record in receiving yards.
Timeout IU. They have one left.
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Indiana 14, Northwestern 10 - [Second quarter - 2:29]
Chappell's pick seems to be having an overall effect on IU's offense. The Hoosiers went three-and-out quickly, highlighted by a no-gain rush by Payton on third down.
Northwestern takes over from their own 9, thanks to a great punt by IU's Michael Hines.
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Indiana 14, Northwestern 10 - [Second quarter - 4:54]
Kellen Lewis was done on the field for about two minutes before popping up and jogging off the field. It appeared Lewis twisted his ankle, but by the way he ran off the field you would think he would return shortly.
But he couldn't return soon enough. On Ben Chappell's first - and I'm going to go out on a limb and guess ONLY play - he threw a perfect strike to Northwestern Eddie Simpson. Simpson returned the ball 41 yards for the touchdown.
What a devastating play. Chappell comes in for one play and throws a pick. And not only that, but it goes for Northwestern's only touchdown of the day. I don't know what just took a bigger blow: IU's lead or Ben Chappell's confidence.
Bailey returned the kick-off and a Wildcat was flagged for a late hit. The Hoosiers - and Kellen Lewis - take over from the 43.
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Indiana 14, Northwestern 3 - [Second quarter - 7:09]
Northwestern's star running back Tyrell Sutton just shredded IU's defense up the middle on a 46-yard rush. Austin Thomas and Nick Polk caught Sutton from behind for the tackle.
But another interception would do Northwestern in. Bachler's pass hit Wildcat wide receiver Ross Lane in the end zone perfectly. But Lane was unable to hold onto the ball, coughing it up into Austin Thomas's hands for the pick.
Thomas made a smart play and fell down in the end zone, not attempting an Antonio Cromartie return. The Hoosier take over from the 20 once again.
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Indiana 14, Northwestern 3 - [Second quarter - 9:08]
Sometimes Kellen Lewis just makes things look easy.
Lewis strolled into the end zone from Northwestern's 14-yard-line for the touchdown. Lewis looked like he was taking a stroll through Dunn Meadow. He was seven yards out and slowing down. Talk about confidence.
Austin Starr's extra point gives the Hoosiers an 11-point lead. The Hoosiers went 80 yards in 11 plays. They also evened out the time of possession a little bit with a five minute and five second drive.
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Indiana 7, Northwestern 3 - [Second quarter - 10:22]
A six-yard pass to Ray Fisher gives the Hoosiers their first first down of the game. That can't be good when it comes in the second quarter, then again IU has the lead so they can't really complain.
Their next first down came on a 21-yard run by Bryan Payton up the middle. On the next play, Payton stormed down the hash marks again for six yards.
Kellen Lewis went to James Hardy for the first time today for a first down. IU's offense is really clicking on this drive.
Note: Just talked to IU media relations football rep Jeff Keag. He said Thigpen has an ankle injury that will most likely keep him out of today's game (he is dressed). In addition, Demetrius McCray is dressing today for the first time in almost two months, but is most likely to sit out as well. That means the Hoosiers will be using a lot of Payton and Josiah Sears this afternoon.
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Indiana 7, Northwestern 3 - [Second quarter - 13:57]
The Hoosiers come up with a huge stop in the red zone. They force the Wildcats to settle for another short field goal, but this time the kick is wide left and no good.
IU takes over on the 20.
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Indiana 7, Northwestern 3 - [End of First quarter]
The end of the first quarter has arrived and the Wildcats are driving. Northwestern now has the ball at IU's 10.
Although the Hoosiers have the lead, they don't have much of an advantage in any other statistical category. They've only had three players on offense and the Wildcats are killing them on time of possession.
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Indiana 7, Northwestern 3 - [First quarter - 5:20]
No sight of Marcus Thigpen anywhere on the field. Haven't gotten word of an injury, but I'll update the situation as soon as I receive information.
The Hoosiers go three and out quickly, punting the ball to the Wildcats. A 45-yard punt plus a decent return gives Northwestern the ball at the 21.
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Indiana 7, Northwestern 3 - [First quarter - 6:56]
A Tracy Porter interception gives the Hoosiers the ball back.
Northwestern's Bachler had his deep pass intercepted by Porter, who then returned the ball to IU's 36. The pick is Porter's fifth of the season, and more importantly, is a good sign that his injury on the first play of the game wasn't significant.
The Hoosiers have yet to run a play from scrimmage, yet have the lead and the ball with good field position. Let's see what kind of offense the Hoosiers come out running. Will they go deep to James Hardy right off the bat or try and establish the run game?
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Indiana 7, Northwestern 3 - [First quarter - 9:15]
There are no flags on the field.
James Bailey just returned Northwestern's kick-off 91 yards to the house. It wasn't exactly Devin Hester, but Bailey threw a stutter-step juke that faked out two Wildcat defenders and took off down the sideline.
Only one Northwestern player had a chance at him from there, but Bailey's speed was no match for the oversized lineman.
Marcus Thigpen, who? James Bailey has spent most of the season in IU's doghouse, regulated to kick-offs and second-string receiving duties, but he's remained one IU's most explosive players. Maybe this kick return will give him a confidence boost to build off of.
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Indiana 0, Northwestern 3 - [First quarter - 9:27]
The Wildcats took their first snap of the afternoon from the 29. Northwestern started their first drive in their trademark-spread offense.
The first play of the game resulted in a one-yard gain for the Wildcats and one huge player loss for the Hoosiers. Tracy Porter had to be helped off the field after being knocked down.
On second down, a bad snap forced Northwestern quarterback C.J. Bachler to dive on the ball and force the play dead. Third down resulted in a 19-yard gain for the Wildcats and a first down.
The Hoosiers let the Wildcats gain 20 yards on third down the following series and move the ball inside IU's red zone.
The Wildcats would stall from there, settling for a 29-yard field goal from Amado Villarreal.
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Indiana 0, Northwestern 0 - [First quarter - 15:00]
Northwestern has won the toss and elected to receive. The announced weather is 46 degrees with almost no wind.
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Will the Hoosiers get their seventh win today?
Will Northwestern running back Tyrell Sutton run all over IU's defense?
Will Marcus Thigpen have another touchdown called back?
All of those questions will be answered in a matter of minutes when the IU/Northwestern game kicks-off at Welsh-Ryan Stadium. In addition to bowl implications for the Hoosiers, the Wildcats are hoping a win today will give them their sixth win and bowl eligibility.
It's not my first time in Evanston, but this is my first visit to Welsh-Ryan. The stadium is pretty empty right now - it makes Memorial Stadium look like a sell-out - but I'm a fan of the layout.
The Wildcats are conducting some sort of senior day celebration on the field right now. We'll be back with updates, analysis and commentary. Any questions/comments feel free to holler on the comments page.
My prediction: IU 41, Northwestern 27
