Indiana Suffers Setback at No. 4 Penn State

Saturday, October 2

University Park, Pa.

7:30 pm

Indiana University

2-3 , 0-2

#4/6 Penn State

5-0 , 2-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Indiana

Penn State

10/2/2021 11:45:00 PM | Football

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A bye has arrived.

For this, the Indiana Hoosiers can give thanks.

Between mounting injuries and punishing opponents, a break has to help.

At least Saturday night's 24-0 loss to No. 4 Penn State (5-0) leaves IU (2-3) with time to fix what's wrong.

It won't play again until No. 17 Michigan State (5-0) comes to Memorial Stadium on Oct. 16.

"A lot of guys will get a lot of work in," receiver Ty Fryfogle. "We can be as good as we want to be. This will be the turning point of our season to figure out how good we want to be."

Added linebacker Cam Jones: "The bye comes at a great time. We have to look in the mirror, get back to the drawing board, and figure this out."

First, though, consider the Hoosiers' three losses (also to unbeaten Cincinnati and Iowa) have come against perhaps the nation's three best teams not named Alabama and Georgia.

Also, consider injuries are testing IU's depth, but not its resolve.

"We're going to fight, I promise you that," head coach Tom Allen said.

"I believe in our guys. We've got to play better. We came here to win. That's the bottom line. We didn't get the job done. We'll figure out what we have to do to get this right and get back to winning."

As far as the tough schedule, Allen added, "They are all really good. They expose exactly what we need to work on. We have to stay together. Our guys will."

A third-quarter sack ended quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s night with a left shoulder injury. He was 10-for-22 for 118 yards and an interception.

"It's his throwing shoulder," Allen said. "We'll do more tests to determine what the issue is. His health is No. 1."

Jack Tuttle replaced him and finished 6-for-12 for 77 yards and an interception.

"Jack gave us a spark," Allen said. "I don't know about that last throw (the interception). I like what I saw. He's good player."

Added Fryfogle: "I hope Mike is OK. He's a strong guy.

"Jack stepped right in. He's always ready. I believe in Jack."

IU was shut out for the first time since 2000. It has scored just six points in two Big Ten games.

"We can be way better than we are," Fryfogle said about the offense. "We're going to be better. That's a must. We'll get it figured out."

Added Allen: "We have to do what we can to get this team better. I have to do a better job as the head coach. We have to do a better job as a staff.

"With the bye week, we'll get guys healthy, get ourself in the right mindset to move the ball on offense and win games in this conference."

Indiana took a shot before the game even started. All-America cornerback Tiawan Mullen was out with a lower leg injury suffered the previous week at Western Kentucky. It was announced just before kickoff.

"He rehabbed and rehabbed," Allen said. "We thought we'd have him, but he wasn't where he needed to be for our medical staff to feel good about playing him. It was a big blow. He's a great player."

The Hoosiers still had two quality cornerbacks in Jaylin Williams and Reese Taylor. Noah Pierre moved up to the third cornerback.

Then, Taylor suffered a lower leg injury near the end of the first half that sidelined him for the rest of the game. In came Pierre. Fryfogle replaced Taylor as the punt returner.

Then safety Raheem Layne was hurt just before the end of the third quarter.

All-America linebacker Micah McFadden was banged up in the fourth quarter.

"It's something minor," McFadden said. "I'll be fine."

Allen said he's hopeful Taylor and Mullen will return for Michigan State.

As it turned out, it wasn't Penn State passing that hurt IU as much as the previously struggling Nittany Lion rushing attack.

They rushed for 209 yards. IU had just 69, 50 from tailback Stephen Carr.

Still, the defense made a series of big plays, including a fourth-quarter goal line stand despite a depleted lineup.

"Our guys stayed locked in," McFadden said. "There was no lack of fight. Just a lack of execution here or there."

Early IU drops didn't help Penix, who opened 1-for-8 with a 35-yard completion to tight end Peyton Hendershot.

Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford wrapped up an 80-yard, 13-play drive by rolling for a touchdown pass for a 7-0, first-quarter lead.

Layne's first-quarter interception gave IU the ball at the PSU 13-yard line. A Penix scramble left the Hoosiers with fourth and just over a yard. A Carr run came up short. No points.

"You don't win road games kicking field goals," Allen said. "I'll go for that every time. I expect to get it."

A 44-yard Penn State run -- its longest of the season -- got the ball into Hoosier territory. It was the highlight of a 96-yard TD drive for a 14-0 Nittany Lions lead.

Two Penix completions positioned IU for a score near the end of the first half, but an interception ended that hope. Halftime arrived with that 14-0 score.

Penix injured his left shoulder early in the third quarter. Tuttle's first play was third and 16, and he got sacked.

A Clifford scramble set up a touchdown pass for a 21-0 lead late in the third quarter.

Tuttle passed the Hoosiers into field goal range, but Charles Campbell's field goal attempt was blocked.

Penn State added a 50-yard field goal.

"We're going to have two weeks of preparation," Fryfogle said. "It's to the point we have to decide how we want the season to end up. Look in the mirror and figure out what we're going to do."

Added McFadden: "We have to take a self-reflecting look at everything we're doing.

"Guys need to decide what comes of this. The Hoosiers are 2-3. How are we going to respond?"