Indiana University Athletics
Game Notes, Indiana vs. Ball State, Sept. 9, 2006
9/9/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 9, 2006
Recap | Final Stats
Game Notes
Indiana vs. Ball State
Sept. 9, 2006
•When Indiana overcame a 23-7 deficit at halftime, it marked the largest deficit offset by a Hoosier team since Oct. 12, 2002. On that day, IU trailed then-No. 23 Wisconsin, 29-10, before posting a 32-29 victory.
•Sophomore Marcus Thigpen accounted for the Hoosiers' first points, returning a kick 100 yards for a score. It marked the third 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in IU history and the fourth in the history of Scheumann Stadium (opened in 1967). Thigpen joins Derin Graham (vs. Wisconsin - Oct. 3, 1998) and Freal McIntosh (vs. Washington & Lee, 1915) as the only Hoosiers to return a kick 100 yards.
•Thigpen's return marked the first kickoff return TD since Lance Bennett's 98-yarder at Oregon (Sept. 11, 2004) and the third touchdown return for Indiana this season. Porter returned a punt 86 yards and sophomore cornerback Chris Phillips tallied a 66-yard interception return in the season opener against Western Michigan. The school record for touchdown returns in a season is seven (2004).
•Redshirt freshman Kellen Lewis, who entered his first collegiate game in the first quarter, hit sophomore wide receiver James Hardy for a 12-yard score at the 11:07 mark in the third quarter for his first career touchdown toss. The play also put Hardy over the 1,000-yard receiving mark for his career. Hardy finished the game with three catches for 26 yards and owns 1,005 career receiving yards.
•Lewis finished the game with 12 carries for 88 yards and one touchdown and completed 15-of-28 passes for 228 yards and one touchdown. The 316 yards of total offense marked the best total offense debut by a Hoosier signal caller in his debut since Antwaan Randle El accounted for 467 yards (385 passing and 82 rushing) and six touchdowns (three rushing and three passing) in a 45-30 victory over Western Michigan on Sept. 12, 1998.
•Junior cornerback Tracy Porter secured the seventh interception of his career, picking off a pass at the 4:09 mark in the first quarter.
•Senior quarterback Graeme McFarland made the second start of his career. McFarland's previous starting nod came on Nov. 1, 2003 at Minnesota.
•Lewis, McFarland and junior Blake Powers have each thrown at least one touchdown this season. The last season three Hoosier gunslingers threw at least one score came in 1974. Terry Jones (13), Bob Kramer (1) and Mike Flanagan (1) each recorded a touchdown.
