IU Can't Complete Comeback, Falls to Iowa 35-27

Saturday, November 7

Bloomington, Ind.

3:30 p.m.

Indiana University

4-5 , 0-5

Iowa

9-0 , 5-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Iowa

Indiana

IU Can't Complete Comeback, Falls to Iowa 35-27

11/7/2015 7:15:00 PM | Football

Box Score

By: Sam Beishuizen | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – It might be a psychological problem. Could be physiological. Maybe it's a play call or two.

Whatever it is, head coach Kevin Wilson can't quite figure it out yet.

Indiana trailed No. 10 Iowa 21-20 with 13:22 left in the fourth quarter before being outscored 14-7 and losing 35-27. The Hoosiers' loss is the latest in a series of missed opportunities to capitalize late in games with results on the line.

"We have got too much evidence of too good week after week against a lot of good teams," Wilson said. "I just think we're right there knocking on it. And my thing is you've got to keep knocking and knocking until you get through it.

"Don't like it, but that's where it is."

Wilson isn't alone. Nobody on Indiana likes it. The situation gets compounded by the unexplainable nature of the late-game losses that have Indiana within a play or two of upsets only to see potential wins slip away.

"It's definitely frustrating," senior guard Dan Feeney said. "We worked two weeks for this game. It's kind of upsetting to see us come this short. Just a couple plays we didn't make in clutch situations. Couple protections broke down."

Indiana (4-5, 0-5) had three consecutive drives to begin the second half where the Hoosiers could have retaken the lead that ended with back-to-back punts before redshirt sophomore kicker Griffin Oakes converted on a 28-yard field goal to pull IU within 21-20 with 13:22 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Iowa (9-0, 5-0) responded to Indiana's score with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive ending with a 1-yard rushing score by LeShun Daniels to put the Hawkeyes up 28-20. On the ensuing drive, Indiana went three-and-out and Iowa added another score on a 10-yard touchdown pass from CJ Beathard to George Kittle to go ahead 35-20 with 6:03 remaining.

Indiana pulled within seven points on an 11-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Nate Sudfeld to fifth-year senior tight end Michael Cooper to bring the score to 35-27, but by then it was too late.

Iowa recovered Indiana's onside kick attempt and ran out the clock to remain undefeated.

"We never got in a rhythm, kind of weren't as balanced as I'd like to be," Sudfeld said. "We're just not able to finish games."

Sudfeld finished 16-of-37 passing for 180 yards and one touchdown. He also threw a late interception in the fourth quarter trying to pull Indiana back into the game.

His counterpart, Beathard, completed 19-of-31 passes for 233 yards and one touchdown and added a rushing score. Beathard's day was complimented by 234 rushing yards between four players.

Indiana junior running back Jordan Howard was a bright spot, rushing the ball 22 times for 174 yards and two touchdowns, but his efficient day wasn't enough to cover holes.

The Hoosiers struggled to get their opponent off the field for a second consecutive week, giving Iowa third-down conversions on 7-of-14 tries. That was just enough for the Hawkeyes offense to sustain enough drives late in the game to both score enough and keep Indiana off the board.

"They get that third-down play and then they keep that momentum going," fifth-year senior bandit Zack Shaw said. "We've got to stop that. We've got to get them off the field and stop that, get our offense back on the field."

The loss moves Indiana under .500 for the first time all season. To get back to even on the season against Michigan next weekend, it's become increasingly obvious IU's problem is finishing games in the second half. The problem is figuring out how to solve it.

Players in postgame interviews admit to sounding like a broken record of sorts, but they insist they're close. They're just tired of saying it.

"Obviously, we've been competitive all season against the best teams in the nation, but I'm tired of being competitive," Sudfeld said. "We're good enough, I know I'm a good enough player to win these games, and I know we have good enough players around us to outplay the teams we're playing against. It's up to us players."