Indiana Reclaims the Old Oaken Bucket, Beats Purdue 44-41 in Double Overtime

Saturday, November 30

West Lafayette, Ind.

Noon

Indiana University

8-4 , 5-4

Purdue

4-8 , 3-6

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Indiana

Purdue

Indiana Reclaims the Old Oaken Bucket, Beats Purdue 44-41 in Double Overtime

11/30/2019 4:05:00 PM | Football

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Easy? Are you kidding? This was the Oaken Bucket game. Nothing comes easy except drama.

On a cold and dreary Saturday afternoon at Ross-Ade Stadium, rivalry drama hit with the force of punch, and the Indiana Hoosiers took it and hit back harder.

The result -- a 44-41 double-overtime victory over Purdue that delivered an 8-4 record, the Hoosiers' best in a generation.

"This is how rivalry games are supposed to be," receiver Whop Philyor said. "They're supposed to come down to the wire. They're not supposed to be blowouts."

The Hoosiers celebrated with an end zone swarm that head coach Tom Allen wanted to join in the worst way until prudence stopped him.

"I had to tell myself I'm the head coach," he said. "I have to shake (Purdue coach Jeff Brohm's hand) and do media stuff.

"I've gotten black eyes doing that. I've hurt my back doing that. If I wasn't the head coach, that's what I would have done."

This was a time of emotion, of tears and hugs and the taking of the Oaken Bucket, symbolic for nearly 100 years of this most intense of rivalries.

It meant fifth-year senior linebacker Raekwon Jones, clutching the Bucket as if it was gold, racing to the Ross-Ade stands to share it with fans who touched it, kissed it and embraced the moment.

And what a moment it was.

"It was super emotional," fifth-year senior receiver Nick Westbrook said. "So much has been put into this. We've had it twice. We've had it taken away from us. We really wanted it back."

He paused in the mist outside the visitors' locker room.

"I love everybody on this team for doing everything they could to get this win," he said.

Allen radiated that love. His L-E-O (Love Each Other) philosophy had fueled this program turnaround, and if it was three years in the making, if it came after Fred Glass, with the blessing of IU President Michael A. McRobbie, had promoted Allen from defensive coordinator without conducting a national search, Allen couldn't have been more appreciative.

"I want to thank President McRobbie and Fred Glass for believing in me. They took a chance on a small-town kid from this great state of Indiana. Living the dream has been awesome.

"I wanted it so bad for this team, for our university, for everyone who has supported us, and invested in the program."

IU controlled most of the game, building leads as large as 18 points late in the third quarter.

That lead disappeared. Hoosier resilience didn't.

"We never blinked," Philyor said. "We were always poised."

Poised peaked in overtime intensity. It was just the second overtime in the series, and the first that needed two extra periods.

"It was nerve-wracking," quarterback Peyton Ramsey said.

He never showed it with another tough-minded performance that will leave him forever remembered in Cream & Crimson lore. His 1-yard sneak in the second overtime period won it.

"Those are the things you dream about," he said, "making big plays in big games. It was just like you draw it up."

That came from preparation, Allen added.

"We had a good plan. You never know. Our guys executed very well. You have to play and react to the situation. You have to be a tough team to handle that. Our guys showed that."

Ramsey led the way. He took shots that would have staggered a grizzly (he was sacked 5 times and hit countless more) and kept coming.

"He was awesome," Westbrook said. "There was that one third down where he got spun around on the hit.

"I love that man. He shows so much grit, fight and determination. You can't help rallying around him."

Ramsey threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns. He rushed 19 times for 40 yards and two TDs.

"Peyton is a dog," Philyor said. "Without him, we wouldn't be here right now. I give him all the credit."

Added Allen: "It's so fitting he scored the winning touchdown. He's been tough and gritty all season long."

True freshman Sampson James matched that grit in his first-career start. With veteran Stevie Scott III out with an injury, Sampson rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown.

"I had a good week of practice," he said. "I studied a lot to make sure I was prepared. I felt I could do some damage."

Philyor, who had missed last week's Michigan loss due to concussion protocol, came back with eight catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns.

"He's so dynamic," Ramsey said. "Defenses always have to be aware of where he is. He is so passionate and such a good player."

It wasn't a Hoosier flawless performance. IU gave up 589 total yards, including 181 rushing yards against the Big Ten's worst running team. Kicker Logan Justus missed his first three field goals of the season (and missed tying Austin Starr's school record of 15 straight). That was enough for Allen, who put in backup Charles Campbell to kick a 41-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter.

"Logan had a tough day," Allen said. "Charles is an excellent kicker. He was ready when called on."

It the end, it didn't matter. The Hoosiers got the victory.

"I'm so excited for the future of our program," James said. "I love these guys."

Love included a fast start. IU jumped to a 14-0 lead on Ramsey's 8-yard pass to Philyor and his 1-yard run.

Purdue (4-8) countered with 10-straight points before James' 3-yard TD run, in which he refused to be tackled despite being swarmed by nearly the entire Purdue defense, gave the Hoosiers a 21-10 halftime lead.

"I was pretty determined," he said. "I was trying to make sure I got in the end zone. I had that extra effort."

IU got a 37-yard touchdown pass play from Ramsey and Philyor to go ahead 28-10 in the third quarter. Justus' missed field goals prevented an even bigger lead.

That created an opportunity Purdue exploited. It rallied for a 31-31 tie to force overtime.

The Hoosiers went ahead 38-31 in the first extra period on Ramsey's 14-yard TD pass to Westbrook. Purdue tied it on a fourth-and-goal pass.

In the second overtime period, the Hoosiers held the Boilers to a field goal, then won it on Ramsey's touchdown.

The Hoosiers must wait a week to learn their bowl fate. Coaches will use that time to recruit, prepare and, in Allen's case, savor.

"If somebody has confidence in you, you want to make them understand they made the right decision," he said. "You don't know the future. (McRobbie and Glass) made the decision (to hire me). I wanted them to know they made the right decision.

"I love this place. I love this university. I love the state, my players, my team."

As Allen has said, L-E-O.