Indiana University Athletics
Great Games in IU-Minnesota Series History - 2000
11/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 2, 2006
Should Indiana defeat Minnesota on Nov. 4, it would mark the Hoosiers' sixth victory of the season and qualify the team for bowl eligibility. In honor of this week's game, IUHOOSIERS.COM takes a look back at some memorable Hoosier-Gopher matchups. Today's installment features veteran radio play-by-play man Don Fischer's recollections of Indiana's 51-43 triumph over No. 22 Minnesota on Oct. 22, 2000.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - In 34 years as the Indiana Football radio play-by-play voice, Don Fischer has cleared his share of obstacles. While numerous technical glitches have nearly prevented Fischer from reaching the airwaves, Fischer's biggest challenge came in the form of a 5-10, 194-pound quarterback from Riverdale, Ill.
"From the day he stepped on campus (in 1998) to the day he graduated, Antwaan Randle El was, pound-for-pound, the most amazing athlete to play football at IU," Fischer said. "He made it very difficult to do play-by-play because there was no way to describe some of the things that he was capable of doing athletically."
One of Randle El's most memorable collegiate performances came when he rushed 27 times for 210 yards and completed 12-of-21 passes for 263 yards to lead the Hoosiers past No. 22 Minnesota, 51-43.The 473 yards of total offense remain a single-game school record, and he became the first player in Big Ten history and the fifth player in NCAA annals to rush for more than 200 and pass for more than 200 yards in the same game.
Randle-El's effort stands out in this game, but as Fischer alluded, it was hardly the lone highlight.
"This was a game where anything and everything happened." Fischer said. "Minnesota blocked a punt and a field goal, Indiana's Andy Payne kicked a 53-yard field goal, Minnesota (Jermaine Mays) ran back the second half kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, but they missed the two-point conversion."
In addition to Randle El's record-setting total offense performance, Levron Williams added 134 yards on 20 carries and Versie Gaddis caught six passes for 155 yards. Randle El and Gaddis opened the scoring with a 24-yard touchdown pass with 9:42 remaining in the first quarter. Minnesota's Dan Nystrom answered with a 23-yard field goal at the 3:37 mark in the first quarter, and Payne responded by kicking his 53-yarder (second-longest in school history) with nine seconds remaining in the opening stanza.
The second quarter opened with D'Wayne Hogan catching a Randle El pass in the flat and racing 47 yards for a touchdown. After another Nystrom field goal, Randle-El and Williams teamed up for a play that still sticks in Fischer's mind.
"Indiana is leading 17-6 and driving down the field again," Fischer said. "Antwaan takes the snap and races down the right side, and after he turns the corner, he pitches to Levron. The defense was so keyed on Antwaan that Levron goes untouched, 24 yards for the score.
"Those two were such a formidable pair in the backfield," Fischer said. "Particularly on the option. They both had great moves and incredible speed."
A third Nystrom field goal, along with an 82-yard touchdown pass from Travis Cole to Ron Johnson made it 24-16 at halftime. And as Fischer noted, "That is when the game turned into a track meet."
Mays took the opening kickoff of the second half 100 yards for a touchdown, but the two-point conversion failed and Indiana held a 24-22 lead. On the Gophers' next possession, Cole scored on a four-yard run, and Nystrom's kick gave UM a 29-24 lead.
Williams helped the Hoosiers regain the advantage with touchdown runs of 36 and 13 yards, only to have the Gophers cut the deficit to 37-35 when Cole found Tellis Redmon for an 18-yard touchdown with 9:15 left in the game.
Randle El fumbled on IU's ensuing possession, and Minnesota recovered and drove to the Hoosier 37-yard line. Indiana's Sharrod Wallace thwarted the Minnesota drive by picking off a Cole pass. Randle El proceeded to engineer a six-play, 56-yard drive that culminated in his three-yard touchdown run.
Minnesota took over deep in its own territory, and Indiana linebacker Justin Smith sacked Cole and forced a fumble that the Hoosiers recovered. Randle El scored again from one yard out, and Payne's extra point pushed the Hoosier lead to 51-35 with 2:31 remaining.
Asad Abdul-Khaliq took over at quarterback for Minnesota and promptly led a 62-yard drive that ended in his own two-yard touchdown run.
The two-point conversion made it 51-43 with 1:34 remaining, but Randle El recovered Minnesota's onsides kick to clinch the victory.
