IU Undone in OT Again

Saturday, October 14

Bloomington, Ind.

Noon

Indiana University

3-3 , 0-3

#17/16 Michigan

5-1 , 2-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Michigan

Indiana

10/14/2017 4:37:00 PM | Football

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Notes Postgame Quotes WATCH | Tom Allen WATCH | DB Chase Dutra WATCH | QB Peyton Ramsey WATCH | LB Tegray Scales

By: Andy Graham
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Michigan made the big 4^TH-down play in the shadow of the goal posts two years ago. Indiana did not Saturday.

That ultimately told the tale as the teams went into overtime for the second straight matchup in Bloomington and created the same result – Michigan emerging as a victor, this time by a 27-20 count, to spoil IU's Homecoming.

The 2015 score was 48-41 in double OT, when Kevin Wilson was at the Hoosier helm and Michigan tallied a fourth-down TD at the end of regulation time to survive and then prevail.

Saturday's version, with Indiana forging the late tie only to then fall, left first-year IU coach Tom Allen animated post-game, but unbowed.

"It creates resolve," Allen said of the outcome. "It creates toughness and a fight. We'll be stronger and tighter than ever. That's what it creates.

"I ain't feeling sorry for nobody. It's none of this, 'Oh, you know what, man, we're so close … ' Uh-uh. This team has too much to them. There's too much fight. There's too much grit. There's too much invested."

Allen has invested much in IU's defense, turning it around significantly since arriving as the program's defensive coordinator in 2016. But while both defenses held sway much of the day, Michigan's nationally top-ranked unit proved decisive in overtime.

But that wasn't until after the Wolverines gave up the only fourth-quarter points they've allowed all season. IU erased a 20-10 deficit in the final quarter and forced the extra session as Griffin Oakes nailed a 46-yard field goal to tie it as regulation time expired.

As overtime ensued, IU had the chance to put its defense on the field first only to see Michigan score on the first snap. The Hoosiers didn't set the edge and lost contain as Karan Higdon got the final 25 of his 200 yards rushing by scooting around left end for the touchdown.

Indiana then forged a 1^st-and-goal at the Michigan 1 on its OT possession only to be denied on four straight snaps.

"We were going to have to dig down deep to do it," Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said of the final defensive sequence. "The goal-line stand was great, an opportunity to keep them out of the end zone and win the ball game.

"We responded with two tackles for loss, an incompletion and an interception on the quarterback option-route. It was a great four plays for us."

Michigan (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) finished with the slight statistic edges Saturday that reflected a close win -- 329-278 total yardage, 17-14 first downs.

And while the Wolverines were penalized 16 times for 141 yards compared to IU's 5 for 55, some crucial close calls went Michigan's way.

An interference flag on Indiana fifth-year senior cornerback Rashard Fant negated an apparent Fant interception. IU's Simmie Cobbs Jr. had what was first ruled a 62-yard reception nullified on review and had a potentially game-changing onside kick recovery ruled out-of-bounds with 3:27 left.

"We prepared all week for that situation," Cobbs said of the onside kick. "I should have made the play. I have to stay more balanced and keep my feet in.

"The call was made. I'm not going to question it now. Play's over."

Allen's take seemed a tad less forgiving. Asked what his view was on "a couple of plays that could have gone either way," Allen replied:

"Several (plays). Yeah, several … I understand how all this works. We have to earn the right to get those breaks. Period. End of discussion."

Then asked what he meant by "earn the right," Allen elaborated: "We have to be a football team that is competing week-in and week-out for the Big Ten championship. That's what I believe."

IU, at 3-3 overall but winless in three league games, probably can't now make a run at the title this season. But the Hoosiers – as has been their wont in recent seasons – showed they can play competitively with elite Big Ten East opposition.

"I love these players, love our coaches," Allen said in opening his post-game remarks. "… And they left it all out there, and played a good football team. And just came up short."

After a long slog uphill. The Hoosiers never led.

Michigan methodically built a lead during the first half as Indiana had to deal with both a stalwart Wolverine defense and poor field position. IU's first three possessions started on its 16, 13 and 16 yardlines and produced precious little progress.

IU's defense had issues much of the way with the Wolverines' zone blocking schemes up front and was gouged by runs right up the gut at times. And Wolverine quarterback John O'Korn managed the game capably.

Quinn Nordin started the scoring with a 40-yard field goal at 6:35 of the first quarter, then made it 6-0 for Michigan on the first play of the second with a 38-yarder.

Michigan followed with the first TD drive of the day, Higdon scoring easily from 12 yards out to cap a six-yard, 80-yard march to make it 13-0 at 10:19 of the second quarter.

IU dodged a huge bullet even while giving up the touchdown, however.

All-American linebacker Tegray Scales was flagged for a late hit on an O'Korn slide but escaped a targeting ruling that would have booted him from the game.

But Indiana got on the board with a 32-yard field goal from Oakes before intermission, then seemed to carry momentum back from the locker room.

IU's defense delivered a quick 3-and-out to start the second half, the first of three in a row, and the Hoosier offense came to life.

Impressive running by true freshman back Morgan Ellison was catalytic, accounting for 45 of the 64 yards. The march was also keyed by a big 3^rd-and-4 completion for 19 yards from Peyton Ramsey to Luke Timian, then capped by Ellison's bursting in untouched off-tackle from 8 yards out.

IU ended up gaining 166 second-half yards. Michigan had only allowed 76 after halftime combined in its previous two games (a win at Purdue and a loss to Michigan State.)

But Michigan kept pounding at IU with its ground attack, too. Hoosier senior fifth-year senior safety Chase Dutra led all tacklers with 13 stops (12 solo), many out of necessity in ground support.

The Wolverines, who had nearly busted more than one play up the middle, finally saw Higdon break one for 59 yards and the TD that made it 20-10 with 10:25 to play.

That seemed like a possible death knell for the home team. Instead, the home team looked lively.

An electrifying 53-yard punt return from J-Shun Harris II sparked the Hoosiers, who capitalized via an 8-yard crossing-route TD from Ramsey to Whop Philyor with 3:27 left that got IU back within 3.

Then the onside kick ensued. Indiana didn't get the call. Michigan got the ball at its 48.

But the Hoosier defense was stout and, after a punt and a penalty, IU had the ball back at its own 30 with no timeouts and 1:05 left in regulation.

Ramsey calmly hit Cobbs for 8, then Timian for 24. A 15-yard connection to Cobbs, on yet another crossing route, set up Oakes' clutch game-tying boot as time elapsed.

Then, as was the case two years prior, Michigan made more plays in OT to win it.

Ramsey, making just his second career start, finished 20-of-41 through the air with two interceptions (though the second pick, on the final play in OT, was essentially moot.)

"He's young and he made some mistakes, but he's everything I believed he would be," Allen said of Ramsey. "He's tough. He understands the game. He got some tough yards. He took some hits. He distributed the football. They were breathing down his neck all day and he made some key throws.

"He'll keep getting better and better. And I'm telling you, that's a nasty defense to play. I'm going to give them credit … that's a good football team we just played."

Allen feels he has a good football team, too, and credited the Hoosiers to take the tough loss in stride. He knows Indiana's recent history of coming close against good opponents without breaking through for the win. He resolutely believes that breakthrough is coming.

"Not going to sit here and feel sorry for anybody," Allen said. "I'll take responsibility for whatever didn't happen. I love these players. Love these coaches. And they fought, fought and fought. And I believe in them and they believe in us, period.

"Life isn't always about getting everything you want. It's about learning from (experiences) – coming up really close and creating character and a resolve that will allow you to face any challenge that you come up against. We're building men here. Then we're going to win."