Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Falls to Kentucky, 31-27
9/19/1998 12:00:00 AM | Football
September 19, 1998
Indiana Falls to Kentucky, 31-27Lexington, Ky. -- The Indiana University football team travelled to Lexington, Ky., today and fell to the Kentucky Wildcats, 31-27, before57,788 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. Indiana took a 27-17 lead into the fourth quarter but the Wildcats scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to seal the four-point victory. Only 10 of Kentucky's points were generated by its offense.
The Hoosiers harassed Heisman Trophy candidate Tim Couch throughout the day, intercepting him four times, twice by senior linebacker Jabar Robinson (2 INTs, 18 tackles, 2 TFLs). Couch completed 38 of 53 passes for 301 yards and 1 touchdown to go along with his four interceptions.
Indiana broke into the scoring column first as sophomore kicker Andy Payne connected on a 41-yard field goal with 6:19 remaining in the first quarter. It would be the first of two Payne field goals on the day as he would connect on a 36-yarder with :40 remaining in the first half.
Kentucky scored first in the second quarter as kicker Seth Hanson kicked a 25-yard field goal just four seconds into the second quarter. Indiana, however, would answer right back as the Hoosiers put together a three-play, 65-yard, :59 drive that was capped by a 3-yd. touchdown run by freshman quarterback Antwaan Randle El (34-12-162-0TD-1INT, 16-5-1TD rushing). The key play of the drive was a 53-yard run by senior fullback Chris Gall (5-100-1TD-53LG rushing). On Kentucky's ensuing drive, Robinson intercepted Couch for the second time in the game and returned the ball two yards to the UK-45. Three plays later, Gall rushed 33 yards for a touchdown to give the Hoosiers a 17-3 lead with 12:09 remaining in the second quarter.
After Payne's second field goal of the day increased the IU lead to 20-3 with just :40 remaining in the first half, Kentucky's Craig Yeast (9-69-14LG receiving) returned the ensuing kickoff 89 yards to the IU-7. On a 4th-n-goal from the IU-2, UK's Derek Homer scored on a 2-yard run to pull the score to within 20-10 at halftime.
The Hoosiers and Wildcats would trade touchdowns in the third quarter as a shotgun snap went over Couch's head and was recovered by senior defensive end Aaron Williams in the end zone to give the Hoosiers a 27-10 advantage. However, with 5:45 remaining in the quarter, Garry Davis caught a 79-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Matt Mumme on a fake punt that brought the Wildcats to within 27-17.
Early in the fourth quarter, running back Anthony White (9-48-12LG rushing, 9-92-1TD-48LG receiving) caught a pass just in front of the outstretched arms of freshman cornerback Maurice Tucker and raced 48 yards for a touchdown that pulled the Wildcats to within 27-24. On IU's next possession a Randle El shovel pass to running back De'Wayne Hogan (13-70-20LG) was batted in the air and returned 46 yards for a touchdown by middle linebacker John Rader to give the Wildcats the lead, 31-27.
Indiana would penetrate as far as the UK-35 on the last drive of the game but Randle El's pass to O.J. Conner on a 4th-n-17 from the UK-42 fell incomplete to end the contest.
Indiana will return to action next week when the Hoosiers travel south to take on the Cincinnati Bearcats.
