Hoosiers Topple No. 8/7 Penn State, 36-35 in Overtime

Saturday, October 24

Bloomington, Ind.

3:30 p.m.

Indiana University

1-0 , 1-0

Penn State

0-1 , 0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Penn State

Indiana

Hoosiers Topple No. 8/7 Penn State, 36-35 in Overtime

10/24/2020 9:45:00 PM | Football

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - It was all there for the season-opening taking -- a nationally televised upset over a perennial national power, a potential program-changing victory.

The Hoosiers took it.

Saturday's 36-35 overtime win over No. 8/7 Penn State at a nearly empty Memorial Stadium -- courtesy of quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s diving two-point conversion that barely survived a review -- was a catharsis for a program that had been so close for so long.

"It shows you can't count us out," Penix said. "We didn't finish the last few years. That's been something we've been stressing. Guys made plays when they needed to be made."

Did they ever.

"It was an opportunity to show the world what the Indiana Hoosiers are all about," Penix said.

For so long, IU had been poised to beat good teams, great teams, and failed. Its 1-22 record against Penn State reflected that.

Business remained unfinished – until Saturday night.

"We showed we can play with any team in the nation," safety Jamar Johnson said. "We have a bunch of guys who bought in."

Hoosier heroes were everywhere, from Penix to tailback Stevie Scott III with his bruising runs to receiver Whop Philyor and his overtime TD catch to Johnson and his interception, forced fumble and 10 tackles to linebacker Micah McFadden and his team-leading 11 tackles to kicker Charles Campbell's two field goals (including a 48-yarder) to receiver Jacolby Hewitt, whose spectacular diving 14-yard red-zone catch (his only one of the game) gave IU a force-overtime chance.

"When you think about all the things that happened and plays made to allow us to win," head coach Tom Allen said, "it's amazing."

IU led most of the game thanks to a turnover-forcing defense (2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble) and crunch-time clutch offense.

"You have to win games like this to build your program and be a Big Ten contender, which is my goal," Allen said.

"We have a long ways to go. We have to keep coaching and get better. This was a monumental win for this program."

For those asking why Allen went for the two-point overtime conversion rather than kick the extra point for a second extra period, well, are you kidding?

"I made the decision during the (overtime) drive," Allen said. "It was going through my head. This was the No. 8 team in the country. We've been close and I was sick and tired of being close."

Indiana went for it all and was rewarded with a victory for the ages. Its last win over a Top-10 team came in 1987 over then No. 9 Ohio State.

"It's a building block for me," Allen said. "I expected us to win. I believe in this team. It gives you confidence to come back like we did.

"Since I've been here, we have found ways to lose. This time, we found a way to win. That's why it's so positive, to have that kind of finish.

"We had to have the confidence, the talent and the depth to finish against a team like that."

IU did, with one other thing.

"If there's any time left," Allen said, "with Michael Penix at quarterback, we have a chance."

Penix, who struggled nearly the entire game, led IU to touchdowns and two-point conversions on its final two drives.

To force overtime with just 1:42 left in regulation and Indiana trailing 28-20, he directed a seven-play, 75-yard drive, ran for a 1-yard TD, then ran for the tying conversion.

In overtime, IU now trailing 35-28, he hit Philyor for a 9-yard touchdown, then ran for the winning conversion.

"Big-time players make big time plays," Scott said. "That's what he did. He put the team on his back. We told him, keep it up. We fully trust him. Nobody had any doubt he would do it."

The winning play was designed for Penix, Philyor or Scott. As Allen put it, "We wanted the ball to go to one of our three best players."

Penix set up to pass. When he saw Scott and Philyor covered, he sprinted for the near-side pylon, with Nittany Lions in furious pursuit.

"Everybody was covered," Penix said. "I had to scramble. I've got to score, or we lose. I couldn't let the team down. I gave it my all."

He dived, extended his right arm, ball in his right hand. The ball hit the pylon just before his body hit the turf.

Hoosiers rushed the field, then paused. The play was under review.

"In my mind, I knew I scored," Penix said. "I kept saying it on the sidelines.

Then came the official decision – the conversion was good.

"As soon as I saw the pylon go down," Scott said, "I knew. Mike has long arms. He has a great football IQ. He made a great play and got us a win."

As for the overtime win-or-lose gamble, Scott said, "We all wanted to go for the win. You have to have the heart and (guts) to do it.

"We knew we could do it. We fully trusted Mike. I told him, don't be scared to run if nobody is open. He took those words to heart. He won us the game."

For most of the game, Penix struggled, partly because of Penn State's defense, mostly because it had been more than a year since he'd played, when an injury cost him the final seven games of the season.

He finished 19-for-36 for 170 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

"He didn't play well for the majority of the game," Allen said. "He hadn't played in a long time.

"He took some shots, showed toughness, overcame some drops, miscues. When it counted and we had to have it, he made the play. That's what great players do.

"This team believes in him. I believe in him. You've got to have a great quarterback to be a Top 10 team and have a chance in this league. That's what we have."

At the end of regulation, leading 21-20, Penn State could have run out the clock. But tailback Devyn Ford ran 14 yards for a touchdown – IU let him -- when he was supposed to take a knee at the 1-yard line.

"I was surprised," Allen said. "I was hoping he wouldn't go down. Fortunately, we got the chance."

Added Penn State coach James Franklin: "People look at that one play, but there's a lot of plays throughout the game that you know that we should have done differently and should have handled differently and could have made plays. It's my job as the head coach to make sure everybody clearly understands those situations and, obviously, right there, that didn't happen."

The Hoosiers had a 17-7 halftime lead, a 20-14 lead deep into the fourth quarter and multiple chances to clinch it.

Chances came and went. Passes were dropped or misfired. A pass coverage was blown.

Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford took advantage to throw for 235 yards and three touchdowns, run for 119 yards and another TD.

With IU trailing 28-20 with less than two minutes left, it looked over.

It wasn't.

"We believed the whole time," McFadden said. "When they took the lead, nobody was hanging his head. That showed how together this team is. That made the difference."

Now the challenge is Rutgers, which upset Michigan State to snap a 21-game Big Ten losing streak.

"We'll take this win and enjoy it," Scott said "but once we get to Monday, it's time for work. Time to keep striving for greatness. We have to showcase it every Saturday. Put the world on notice."