No. 17 Indiana Drops Season Opener at No. 18 Iowa

Saturday, September 4

Iowa City, Iowa

3:30 PM

Indiana University

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#18/18 Iowa

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1st

2nd

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4th

Indiana

Iowa

No. 17 Indiana Drops Season Opener at No. 18 Iowa

9/4/2021 7:00:00 PM | Football

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Notes Tom Allen Postgame Press Conference Ryder Anderson Postgame Press Conference Ty Fryfogle Postgame Press Conference Michael Penix Jr. Postgame Press Conference

IOWA CITY, Iowa – "Flush it."

You watch a huge season-opening opportunity disappear amid a flurry of mistakes, as Indiana head coach Tom Allen did during Saturday's 34-6 loss at No. 18 Iowa, and the message is as short as it is clear:

"Flush it."

A Top-20 battle rich in potential disintegrated fast in front of 70,000 Hawkeyes fans at Kinnick Stadium, but with 11 games left, big things remain possible for a team ranked No. 17.

Allen pushed that approach hard.

"It's a long season. One game will not define us."

And then …

"This was not Indiana football."

Finally …

"We got knocked down. We've got to get back up and keep swinging."

Huge home games against Top-10 teams Cincinnati and Ohio State are ahead, as well as trips to Top-20 Penn State, Michigan and more.

First, though, is next Saturday night's home opener against Idaho and a chance to get right all the things that went wrong at Iowa.

"We have to watch film, be honest with our mistakes, own up to our mistakes, and have a good week," receiver Ty Fryfogle said.

The loss will not, defensive end Ryder Anderson insisted, ruin Hoosier confidence or optimism. They are ranked for a reason.

"I've seen a lot of teams," he said. "I know this team is good. We might not have shown it today, but we are a good team."

The offense struggled against a defense rated among the Big Ten's best. IU had just 233 total yards and three turnovers.

"The offense was really disappointing," Allen said. "I take responsibility for it. We've got to get things fixed.

"We have to execute. You can't turn the ball over. We didn't run very effectively (31 carries, 77 yards). You've got to play high-level football right out of the gate. We did not.

"We're better than we showed. We have to be. When things aren't good enough, you fix them. We will."

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr., in his first game back from a season-ending torn ACL, finished 14-for-29 for 156 yards and three interceptions. Two interceptions -- both by cornerback Riley Moss -- were returned for touchdowns.

"He seemed off," Allen said. "The timing with the receivers wasn't there.

"They did a great job. They do what they do and do it well. He made mistakes and they made him pay."

Regaining rhythm after so long a break takes time, Allen added. Penix threw only four interceptions in six games last season.

"It's hard to come back from things mentally. There was no ramp up time. He looked out of sync. Didn't look comfortable. We'll get that fixed."

Penix, who is 10-3 as a starter, is up for the task.

"I felt good. I was confident going into the game. It didn't go the way we wanted it to. We'll pick it up.

"Nothing felt off. We didn't execute when we needed to. The turnovers killed us.

"We have to go back, get everything right. We won't be too down. Just do better. Make sure we don't make mistakes. Reduce the turnovers on my end."

Fryfogle, who led IU with five catches for 85 yards, said the receivers should have done more to help Penix.

"There are a lot of things we have to clean up. We have to get open and make tough catches for him.

"They have a good defense, but we didn't play our best. We need to clean that up."

In the fourth quarter, with the outcome decided, Allen pulled Penix and put in Jack Tuttle, who went 0-for-2. There were two reasons for the change, Allen said.

"No. 1, I wanted to get him out. If we had kept him in there and he had gotten hurt, we've have had a lot of regrets.

"No. 2, Jack needs to play. I wanted him to play."

One bright spot -- a defense that only allowed 20 points and forced two fumbles against a team that has won seven straight over the last two seasons. Anderson and defensive tackle Weston Kramer each had seven tackles. Anderson had two tackles for loss.

Safety Raheem Layne had six tackles and forced a fumble.

"We control what we can control," Anderson said about the defense. "The expectation is to get a stop. That's the expectation. No matter what, keep playing to the expectation. Go attack and get a stop."

That's exactly what Allen wants to hear.

"When the offense is struggling," he said, "I want to see the defense take the game over, create takeaways and maybe score."

A worst-possible Hoosier start -- a 14-0 deficit in the first two minutes -- ripped away early momentum, but not hope.

Penix completions of 21 yards to Miles Marshall and 32 yards to Fryfogle, and then a 36-yard Charles Campbell field goal suggested a comeback was coming – if the offensive line could gain control, and the mistakes were stopped.

It didn't happen.

Facing a 31-3 halftime deficit against a team that had held 22-straight opponents to less than 25 points – the best of any Power 5 Conference squad – the Hoosiers could only manage a 3-3 second-half tie.

"I expected us to execute better on both sides of the ball," Anderson said. "We have a lot to clean up. It was not our best performance."

IU's defense got first crack to start the game, and gave up a 56-yard touchdown run to Tyler Goodson on the game's fourth play.

The Hoosiers followed with a botched offensive possession – a pass that bounced off of receiver D.J. Matthews Jr. that Moss picked off and returned 30 yards for a touchdown.

After two minutes and 15 seconds, IU trailed 14-0.

On the next drive, Penix connected with Marshall for a 21-yard, third-down completion, but the drive stalled. On the next possession, a 32-yard completion to Fryfogle set up a Campbell field goal for a 14-3 first-quarter score.

The Hawkeyes added an early second-quarter TD, then a second pick-6 from Moss and then a field goal for a 31-3 halftime lead.

IU got another Campbell field goal in the third quarter. Iowa countered with a fourth-quarter field goal.

In the aftermath, it was about what was coming for IU rather than what had just happened.

"Just stay 1-0," Penix said. "Look forward. Do the corrections we need to do. Keep our heads up and keep pushing. Keep the mindset going that nothing can stop us."