IU ‘Takes Care of Business’ In Blowout Win Over Eastern Illinois

Saturday, September 7

Bloomington, Ind.

3:30 p.m.

Indiana University

2-0

Eastern Illinois

0-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Eastern Illinois

Indiana

IU ‘Takes Care of Business’ In Blowout Win Over Eastern Illinois

9/7/2019 6:48:00 PM | Football

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - It won't be this easy again.

Indiana knows it.

Tom Allen will coach to it.

From now on, college football reality will hit with the force of an Aaron Judge home run.

The Hoosiers' 52-0 rout of Eastern Illinois Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium was a chance to showcase their talent, depth and potential. It provided playing opportunity for nearly everyone on the roster, with this over-riding thought:

Get ready for the Buckeyes.

That would be the Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0), the nation's No. 5 team that has outscored Florida Atlantic and Cincinnati by a combined 87-21. They will come to Memorial Stadium next Saturday in an early battle of unbeatens rich in Cream & Crimson possibilities.

"We took care of business like we were supposed to," Allen said. "That was our challenge -- to play to our standards.

"We all know what's coming."

Or, as receiver Donavan Hale put it, "This was a test to see what our offense was made of, but the real test is next week."

Indiana (2-0) corrected many of the mistakes from the previous week's Ball State victory en route to its largest margin of victory since beating Nebraska – yes, Nebraska, which was ranked No. 19 at the time – by a 54-0 score in 1944.

Missed tackles were reduced, dropped passes were limited, execution was improved. That it came against a Football Championship Series opponent limited in scholarship numbers and talent wasn't the point.

Playing well was.

Mission accomplished.

"We cleaned up some things from last week," Allen said. "We ran better, tackled better. The execution was solid on both sides of the ball. We addressed the things that needed to be addressed."

Added quarterback Michael Penix Jr.: "We saw the offense continue to push and progress. We put people in different situations to see how they'd react. We got a lot sharper. We studied that game film until we couldn't anymore. It was all real good."

IU did that while playing 63 guys, with true freshmen Sio Nofoagatoto'a, Beau Robbins, Josh Sanguinetti and Larry Tracy III making their college debuts. Nine true freshmen have played in the first two games.

"We wanted to keep everybody fresh and healthy," Allen said. "The less hits the better. It's a matter of trying to get everybody comfortable and ready."

For those wondering how beating Eastern Illinois would prepare IU for facing Ohio State, a team the Hoosiers haven't beaten since 1988, Penix set the record straight.

"This was a great game, watching the offense execute. We don't take anyone lightly. Ohio State is just another team. We work out the same. We put our clothes on the same. There's nothing different between us. We'll come out and execute."

On Saturday, the Hoosiers had a chance to rack up impressive numbers, and took advantage.

The offense had 555 total yards and its most points since getting 52 against Georgia Southern in 2017. The Hoosiers never scored more than 38 points last year.

Penix, in less than two quarters, was 14-for-20 for 197 yards and two touchdowns.

Peyton Ramsey, last year's quarterback starter, took over near the end of the first half, played until the fourth quarter and was 13-for-14 for 226 yards and two touchdowns. The 92.9 percent completion percentage set a program single-game record.

"It was important to get Peyton some snaps as we get into the Big Ten," Allen said. "He's played before, but we didn't want his first live go to be in that environment. This is a new system for him, too, and it's important for him to get comfortable."

Added Penix: "I was extremely excited for him. He puts in the work. He showed he was prepared."

Ramsey came in at the end of the first half to get some two-minute drill work, but it turned out to be just 12 seconds when running back Ronnie Walker Jr. turned a short swing pass into a 64-yard touchdown.

"I thought it was a good time to get Peyton in there with this offense," Allen said. "I was yelling at Ronnie to get out of bounds. When I realized he was going to score, I was yelling at him to stay in bounds, go score."

Jack Tuttle, a Utah transfer in his first Hoosier season, played the final 12 minutes. He was 3-for-7 for 18 yards.

Hale caught five passes for 110 yards and a touchdown. It was his first career 100-yard receiving game.

"I feel it's something I'm capable of doing night in, night out," Hale said. "(The quarterbacks) did a good job of finding me when I was open."

Beyond that, freshmen Sampson James and Miles Marshall scored their first college touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Charles Campbell kicked the first field goal of his career (from 48 yards). Redshirt junior running back Cole Gest scored his first TD in two years.

"Guys were jumping up and down on the sidelines for them," Penix said. "They were all excited and super hyped."

The defense recorded its first shutout since Nov. 18, 2017 against Rutgers and held Eastern Illinois (0-2) to 116 total yards, its fewest allowed dating back to 1996.

"We knew that was a lesser opponent," receiver Whop Philyor said, "and we had to dominate. Just dominate."

Indiana's running game improved -- to a point. IU rushed for 114 yards on 34 carries. Steve Scott III led with 61 yards on 12 carries.

"The run game was better," Allen said. "We have to continue to work it. We got a better push (from the offensive line). The running backs ran hard."

The Hoosiers failed to get a takeaway, snapping their national-leading 19-game streak.

"One negative was we didn't get a takeaway," Allen said, "but they come in bunches. The defense is being disruptive and getting sacks. We have good quickness and speed."

IU had eight tackles for loss against Eastern Illinois after getting seven against Ball State.

Now comes the big challenge – doing it against Ohio State.

"We know Ohio State looks a lot different up front than the last two opponents." Allen said. "If we were not getting those plays against those opponents, we'd be concerned. We're seeing the progress. Now we have to do it against a Top-5 team in the country."

IU had total first-half domination to build a 35-0 lead, including 338 yards to Eastern Illinois' 52.

Ramsey came in for one play and it was a big one – a 64-yard TD pass to Walker. That's the second-longest play of Ramsey's career after last year's 65-yard scoring toss to Philyor.

Hoosier scores also came from receiver Miles Marshall (a 10-yard TD reception that was the first of his college career), Scott's 5-yard run, Gest's 3-yard run and tight end Peyton Hendershot's 8-yard touchdown catch.

Haydon Whitehead punted three times, for 41.3 yards

Ramsey led IU on a 94-yard scoring drive on its first possession of the third quarter, the last 43 coming on a scoring toss to Hale. He led another TD drive, this one capped by Sampson James' 1-yard run, for a 49-0 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Campbell ended the scoring by hitting a 48-yard field goal for a 52-0 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Now comes Ohio State.

"Nothing against Eastern Illinois," Allen said, "but there's a pretty significant difference."