Indiana University Athletics
Penn State Stops Indiana
11/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Penn State defense helped earn the team's first Big Ten victory of the season, thanks to a goal-line stand in the waning minutes, to sneak past Indiana, 22-18, on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The Hoosiers drove to the Nittany Lion's one-yard line with a little under two minutes remaining where they had first and goal; however, were stopped on four consecutive runs.
"We had our chances to win the game," Indiana head coach Gerry DiNardo said. "We had a 15-yard penalty by someone who wasn't even in the game. We don't tolerate that and that is not how Indiana plays football. We had a real good chance to score at the end of the game. We just couldn't do it. We couldn't execute and get the score."
Senior quarterback Matt LoVecchio went 11-for-22 with 137 yards, while senior wide receiver Travis Haney had three receptions for a team-high 74 yards. Sophomore running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis led the Hoosiers on the ground with 49 yards.
Penn State was led by quarterback Zack Mills, who was 11-of-19 for 169 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Michael Robinson caught six balls for 99 yards and a touchdown, while Austin Scott led the ground attack with 14 rushes for74 yards.
The Hoosiers (3-7, 1-6 Big Ten) struck first when senior wide receiver Courtney Roby found paydirt on a 26-yard end around to give IU an early 7-0 advantage. Indiana scored from the second play from scrimmage after junior Paul Szczesny's first career interception gave his team field position at the Penn State 28-yard line.
The Nittany Lions (3-7, 1-6 Big Ten) evened the score at seven apiece when Mills found receiver Robinson for a 33-yard touchdown strike. The touchdown reception was initially called incomplete; however, after a review, was overturned. It was the first touchdown in the opening quarter by the Nittany Lions since their season opener against Akron.
The Indiana defense struck again at the 12:54 mark of the second quarter. IU linebacker Kyle Killion intercepted PSU quarterback Anthony Morelli and took it 46 yards to the endzone and, after a missed extra point, gave the Hoosiers a 13-7 advantage.
With Killion's interception return for a touchdown, the Hoosiers have now scored four defensive touchdowns on the season. It marks the first time in school history Indiana has scored four defensive touchdowns in a single season. Tracy Porter (96-yard int. return vs. Central Michigan), Victor Adeyanju (four-yard fumble return at Kentucky) and Will Lumpkin (42-yard int. return vs. Minnesota) also have found paydirt for IU.
The Nittany Lions would take their first lead of the game when Mills ran a quarterback sneak from two yards out to give his team a 14-13 advantage with 1:49 remaining in the third stanza. The Penn State drive lasted 4:38 and went 81 yards on 11 plays.
The Hoosiers regained the lead with 8:47 remaining in regulation when Bryan Robertson booted a 22-yard field goal. The kick, which capped off a 17-play, 74-yard drive and chewed up 8:02, gave Indiana a 16-14 advantage.
However, the Nittany Lions returned the favor, taking the ball 80 yards on nine plays in 3:56, capped off by Tony Hunt's two-yard touchdown run. Penn State would take a 22-16 advantage on the ensuing two-point conversion with 4:51 remaining. The Hoosiers hurt themselves on the Nittany Lion scoring drive with three defensive penalties, which included two pass interference calls and a personal foul.
The Hoosiers did not go quietly, as LoVecchio calmly took the team 71 yards on seven plays. A 29-yard pass completion to Travis Haney on third and nine put the ball at the PSU one-yard line, setting up the Penn State goal-line stand.
"It is very frustrating, but it is better than being blown out," DiNardo said. "Us being close in games is a sign of progress for this program, but we are still making mistakes. I definitely do think that we are better than we have been."
Indiana will head to West Lafayette, Ind., for its season finale against rival Purdue. The Hoosiers and Boilermakers will play for the `Old Oaken Bucket' on Saturday, Nov. 20, at noon. It will mark the 107th meeting between the two schools and the 80th battle for the `Old Oaken Bucket'.
