Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Preparing for Minnesota
10/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
In addition, the victory over the Golden Gophers, coupled with a 30-24 win at then-No. 24 Oregon, marks the second win over an Associated Press ranked team this season for the Hoosiers. It is the first time since the 1987 season Indiana has defeated two AP ranked teams in the same season. That year, IU defeated No. 9 Ohio State (31-10) on Oct. 10, and No. 20 Michigan (14-10) on Oct. 24.
"The obvious progress was the way that we played well in the second half," Indiana head coach Gerry DiNardo said. "We had a halftime lead against Michigan State and we couldn't hold it. There have been other times when we haven't played as well in the second half as we did in the first half. To me, that was the big positive today."
Sophomore running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed for 110 yards on the afternoon, which was the second 100-plus rushing performance this season for Green-Ellis (115 yards at Kentucky) and the sixth of his career. The New Orleans, La., native also scored on a 27-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal the win. The scamper was the longest run and the longest touchdown run of the season for Green-Ellis.
Senior quarterback Matt LoVecchio also played well, completing 13-of-26 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns, while senior Courtney Roby led the team with six catches for 54 yards and a TD.
The Golden Gophers (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten), playing the opening quarter with high winds at their backs, struck first, taking their opening two drives to paydirt. Minnesota began the game with a 12-play, 60-yard drive in 5:11, capped off by a four-yard touchdown run by running back Laurence Maroney. Minnesota took its very next drive 66 yards on seven plays in 2:14, ending on a Bryan Cupito one-yard touchdown pass to Matt Spaeth, giving the visitors a quick 14-0 advantage with 2:09 remaining in the opening quarter.
Will Lumpkin began the second quarter with a bang, giving the Hoosiers the momentum. The junior from Dayton, Ohio, picked off a Cupito pass and took it 42 yards to put the Hoosiers on the board. The interception was Lumpkin's first of his career, as well as his first touchdown wearing the Cream and Crimson. However, IU was unsuccessful on the extra point attempt, resulting in a 14-6 Minnesota advantage with 14:47 remaining before the half.
"Will's interception was probably the play of the game to get the momentum changed," said DiNardo. "I wouldn't say that we were flat, but we weren't energized until that play. We were having to deal with the wind and all of the other little things, and before you know it, we were down two scores. I don't believe that plays early in a game are really that important, but Will Lumpkin's play was very important."
IU would use the momentum from the Lumpkin pick on its very next drive, as LoVecchio found a wide open Roby in the endzone from 13 yards out, capping an eight-play, 67-yard drive that lasted 3:54. Indiana would fail on the two-point conversion, bringing the score to 14-12.
The Hoosiers continued the second quarter onslaught, taking the lead just prior to the end of the half. LoVecchio found sophomore Chris Rudanovic for a six-yard touchdown with 35 seconds left. Indiana then converted the two-point conversion, giving the Hoosiers a 20-14 lead at the half.
The 26-40 mph wind played a major factor in the opening half, as all 34 points scored in the half came with the winds at the teams' back. The Golden Gophers had 14 points and 133 yards in the opening half, compared to IU's zero points and 47 yards. The second quarter was all Indiana, piling up 127 yards and 20 points, compared to only 52 yards and zero points for Minnesota.
Bryan Robertson connected on a 23-yard field goal on Indiana's first drive of the third quarter, giving the Hoosiers their largest lead of the contest, 23-14.
The Golden Gophers answered on their very next drive, when Cupito found Spaeth for the second time in the contest, this time it was a three-yard touchdown pass, capping off an five-play, 80-yard drive lasting 1:47. The score brought Minnesota within two, 23-21, with 8:47 remaining in the third.
However, that is as close as the Golden Gophers would come, as the Hoosiers would answer on their opening drive in the fourth quarter. Green-Ellis' touchdown run extended the IU lead to 30-21, matching the biggest advantage of the game.
The Hoosiers defense took over at that point, allowing the Golden Gophers to six yards on nine plays and zero first downs. In fact, IU controlled the ball in the final 15 minutes, holding onto it for 10:46 in the fourth quarter alone.
Indiana will attempt for back-to-back wins when it travels to Champaign, Ill., for a Big Ten conference match at Illinois on Saturday, Nov. 6, at 2 p.m. EST.
