Despite missing out on a postseason berth for the sixth consecutive year after its loss to No. 3 Ohio State last week, IU's season is far from over. The Hoosiers' season finale is a home matchup against in-state rival Purdue (1-10, 0-7) at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. The two Indiana teams will play for the Old Oaken Bucket, which is awarded to the winning school in the annual rivalry game.
"We've got a chance to finish on a strong note against a strong rival opponent," IU Coach Kevin Wilson said.
The Boilermakers won their second game of the season against Indiana State and then proceeded to lose their next nine games. Regardless of the outcome on Saturday, Purdue will finish last in the Leaders Division of the Big Ten.
Wilson said the Bucket game matters to a lot of people in the state of Indiana.
"Now that we're the in state deal you're going to recruit against them, and for our seniors and for our fans, I know it's a big game for so many people in the state," he said.
Saturday will be the final game for IU's seniors and several of the team's redshirt juniors who are set to graduate in four years.
Wilson said he has a lot of respect for the Hoosiers' seniors.
"Half the crowd that came in went by the wayside," he said. "I would drawback to this crowd about much as any, their ability to hang in and stay and buy in and give us a great go...this has been one of my most successful years in relation to guys. We've got our guys are down into what we're trying to do."
Wilson said a really good team has a really good core.
"There's a core group of six or seven guys that have to me given us a good go, and set a tone," he said. "Last year we had two. This year we've got about six or seven stronger, really good players that are really good leaders. And it's moving the direction you want."
Despite the relationship between Wilson and the Hoosiers who will suit up in cream and crimson one final time this weekend, the players aren't ones that he recruited. Next year's senior class will be the first to have spent all four years in Bloomington with Wilson at the helm of the Hoosier football program.
As Wilson evaluates where the team is in his third season at IU, he acknowledges that it's a work in progress.
"To me the only thing is our lack of W's, which is ultimately all it's about," he said.
His record as the head coach at IU is 9-26. He improved from one win in his first season to four victories in 2012 (including the first two Big Ten wins of his career) to a potential 5-7 season this year.
While IU's wins are slowly adding up each year, Wilson is improving the quality of the student-athletes who play football for the Hoosiers.
"We can talk about graduation rates, and all these guys graduating. I think we'll reset our record for Academic All-Big Ten guys," he said. "I think our recruiting has gotten a little better. But it still comes back to putting guys in position, developing players and winning ballgames."
If IU wins on Saturday, the Hoosiers will have three conference victories this season, which is one more than the past two years combined.
"Four goes to five...even if five got to six, it's still not what you want," Wilson said. "We're a work in progress."
IU's third-year head coach said he's looking to find better ways of managing the program, developing players and coaching the team.
"I think we're changing the culture, we need more W's," he said. "I think that would change the outside culture, the fan base, the attendance, the student body. We need to win, and I've got to look as a coach to do the things I can to get the W's"
