Indiana Game Notes - The Illinois Game
10/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 7, 2006
Recap | Final Stats
Indiana Game Notes
The Illinois Game
Oct. 7, 2006
• Indiana's 34-32 victory marked the first time since Nov. 10, 2001 (Michigan State) that Indiana won a Big Ten game on the road - snapping a streak of 17 games.
• Marcus Thigpen finished with 311 all-purpose yards (197 kickoff return, 91 rushing, 23 receiving). This is the fourth-best single-game effort in school history. The kick return and rushing yards are career-highs.
• When Marcus Thigpen opened the second half with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, it marked his third kickoff return touchdown for the season. This is a school record and ties the league record held by Purdue's Stan Brown (1970) and Michigan State's DeAndra Cobb (2003). His 197 kickoff return yards in the game are also a new IU single-game record. The 98-yard kickoff return is also the third-longest return for a touchdown in Illinois' Memorial Stadium history. Thigpen entered the game as the nation's top kickoff returner (38.4 yard average).
• Kellen Lewis finished the game 20-of-40 for a career-high 240 yards. The 20 completions and 40 attempts tie career-highs.
• This marks the second time this season that Indiana has overcome a 17-plus point deficit to win. The Hoosiers trailed 25-7 with 4:24 left in the second quarter and scored 21 unanswered points, capped by Marcus Thigpen's 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half. The Hoosiers extended the lead to 31-25 on Austin Starr's 23-yard field goal with 2:24 left in the third quarter. Illinois regained the lead when Dajuan Warren threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Jody Ellis. Indiana drove 65 yards in 10 plays in the final 2:31 as Austin Starr's 33-yard field goal with no time remaining gave the Hoosiers the victory.
• Defensive end Jammie Kirlew made his first career start, marking the 10th true or redshirt freshman to start for the Hoosiers this season. True freshman defensive end Greg Middleton also saw his first action of the season.
• When Kellen Lewis scored on a two-yard touchdown run with 11:14 left in the first quarter, it marked the third time this season that IU scored on its opening drive.
• That game-opening drive featured a 44-yard run by tailback Marcus Thigpen, the longest run from scrimmage by a Hoosier this season.
• Junior running back Josiah Sears had the first two-touchdown performance of his career with scoring runs of two yards and nine yards in the second quarter.
