Indiana Falls To Northwestern, 20-17

Final Score: Northwestern 20, Indiana 17

Another ugly loss in the Big Ten For Indiana. Dropping the first four games in the Big Ten has put the Hoosiers in a huge hole they likely will not be able to climb out of. Right now, the postseason is a pipe dream.

While IU’s defense finally stepped up and looked like a solid unit today, the offense has regressed considerably. Without a running game teams can either drop everyone and live Ben Chappell with no open receivers, or pin their ears back and put tons of pressure on the fifth-year senior quarterback. Both of those things have happened with impunity over the past few weeks.

Chappell has been battered by opposing defenses because of a leaky offensive line and the fact that no one can get open because opposing defenses are dropping everyone. Until someone steps up in the absence of Darius Willis and actually produces something out of the running back position, there’s no reason to believe that pattern will change.

A late, prayer of a touchdown throw and catch from Chappell to Duwyce Wilson for 39 yards made the game closer with 44 seconds left, but that was due to a moronic defensive lapse by Northwestern’s secondary.

A botched onside kick by Mitch Ewald that didn’t go 10 yards, gave the Wildcats the ball

Just some quick leaders and numbers for you:
Ben Chappell: 30-for-55, 355 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception; 7 carries, 17 yards, 1 touchdown.
Trea Burgess: 8 carries, 37 yards.
Damarlo Belcher: 12 catches, 102 yards.
Duwyce Wilson: 4 catches, 71 yards, 1 touchdown.
Ted Bolser: 3 catches, 43 yards.
Terrance Turner: 5 catches, 37 yards.
Tandon Doss: 4 catches, 34 yards.

Total Yards:
Northwestern: 398 (229 passing, 169 rushing).
Indiana: 373 (308 passing, 65 rushing).

Northwestern got a 45-yard field goal from Stefan Demos with 6:57 remaining in the game to extend the lead to 20-10. The kick capped a nine-play, 39-yard drive for the Wildcats. Indiana needs to answer quickly.

In what was an excruciating quarter to watch, the Hoosiers and Wildcats both struggled on offense. Indiana suffered from some brutal play-calling, and despite moving the ball well between the 20s, the Hoosiers have no points to show for the third quarter effort, except for a missed 40-yard field goal by Mitch Ewald that was wide left from the start.

Northwestern managed to drive down on its first possession of the half (after an IU punt) and capped off the 11-play, 87-yard drive with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Dan Persa to Jeremy Ebert. That score is currently the difference in the game.

Northwestern leads after three quarters, 17-10.

In what was an excruciating quarter to watch, the Hoosiers and Wildcats both struggled on offense. Indiana suffered from some brutal play-calling, and despite moving the ball well between the 20s, the Hoosiers have no points to show for the third quarter effort, except for a missed 40-yard field goal by Mitch Ewald that was wide left from the start.

Northwestern managed to drive down on its first possession of the half (after an IU punt) and capped off the 11-play, 87-yard drive with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Dan Persa to Jeremy Ebert. That score is currently the difference in the game.

Northwestern leads after three quarters, 17-10.

Indiana takes the lead with 48 second left in the half, as Ben Chappell has one of the ugliest scramble touchdowns in the history of football. The five-yard run capped a 97-yard drive to give Indiana a 10-7 lead.

Then, of course, the defense for the Hoosiers slackened considerably and allowed Northwestern to drive almost at will down the field, as Stefan Demos knocked through a 23-yard field goal as time expired in the opening first half.

Aside from that final drive, Indiana’s defense continues to show something it hasn’t all year: consistency. The Hoosiers have largely bottled up Northwestern’s balanced attack. Now, the offense needs to get going, particularly on the ground.

Ben Chappell has been inconsistent all afternoon, though he started to get into a rhythm on the final drive of the second quarter. He converted four third down plays on that final drive and looked to be in charge the entire time, even hitting Duwyce Wilson on two key scramble-improvise-throw plays for big first downs.

Chappell completed 8-of-11 passes on that drive for 72 yards.

Here are your end of the half stats (all stats are unofficial and subject to changes/edits):
Chappell: 17-for-31, 155 yards, no touchdowns, 1 interception; 4 carries for 8 yards, 1 touchdown.
Trea Burgess: 6 carries for 36 yards.
Antonio Banks: 2 carries for 5 yards; 1 catch for 8 yards.
Nick Turner: 1 carry, 3 yards; 1 catch for 13 yards.
Damarlo Belcher: 7 catches for 61 yards.
Duwyce Wilson: 2 catches for 28 yards.
Tandon Doss: 3 catches for 20 yards.
Ted Bolser: 1 catch for 17 yards.
Terrance Turner: 2 catches for 8 yards.

On third and eight from the Indiana 11 yard line, Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa scrambled out of a dire situation to find a wide open receiver in the end zone. Larry Black had excellent pressure on Persa, but somehow he escaped and threw a perfect strike to Jeremy Ebert in the middle of the end zone for the score.

Not a great start to the second quarter for the Hoosiers, considering they’re getting great pressure on Persa but don’t have much to show for it thus far.

Indiana’s opening drive ended disappointingly as the Hoosiers got inside the 10-yard line and had to settle for a 23-yard Mitch Ewald field goal.

IU’s defense has been stout thus far, holding a balanced Northwestern attack scoreless, but the Wildcats will open the second quarter with first and 10 at Indiana’s 13-yard line. The Hoosiers managed to get a stop on third down on the drive, but a facemask penalty will give the Wildcats a first down to open the second frame.

Here are some first quarter numbers:
Ben Chappell: 7-of-15, 71 yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions.
Trea Burgess: 2 carries for 12 yards.
Antonio Banks: 1 carry for 5 yards, 1 catch for 8 yards.
Ted Bolser: 1 catch for 17 yards.
Nick Turner: 1 catch for 13 yards.
Damarlo Belcher: 1 catch for 9 yards.
Terrance Turner: 1 catch for 7 yards.
Tandon Doss: 1 catch for 6 yards.