Northwestern

Hyped as a showdown between the league's No. 1 and No. 2 passing quarterbacks, Ben Chappell and Dan Persa, but Persa clearly outplayed the Indiana senior.

Persa finished 18 of 28 for 212 yards and ran 11 times for 19 yards before leaving with 8:53 left in the game.

Chappell was 30 of 54 for 308 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also ran for a score, but he missed receivers high and long most of the day and the Hoosiers' usually high-scoring offense never got in sync.

© Jim Brown-US PRESSWIRE, US PRESSWIRE

Illinois

Ben Chappell entered the Illinois game with the fourth-best passing yard average in the country and only three interceptions on the season. Illinois applied pressure early and brought that season total to six.

For good measure, the Illini also snagged an interception from backup Dusty Kiel in the game's final minute. The end result a 43-13 loss. It was the Illini’s 100th Homecoming. Illinois led 27-10 after a first half in which it converted three Indiana turnovers into 17 points. The Illini had no giveaways.

Lineman Justin Staples forced a fumble in the second quarter that led to Scheelhaase's touchdown pass to Jarred Fayson. Minutes later, Staples hit on Hoosier quarterback Ben Chappell to force an interception that Patrick Nixon-Youman returned 68 yards for another and a 24-10 lead.

Chappell finished 26-48 with 279 yards

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Photo © Seth Perlman, Associated Press

Arkansas State

Ben Chappell threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns in the second half, rallying the Hoosiers for a 36-34 victory over Arkansas State. The victory allowed Indiana to sweep its four nonconference opponents, end a two-game losing streak and regain some momentum.

Arkansas State was led by Ryan Aplin, who was 33 of 44 for 275 yards with two TD passes, two TD runs and two interceptions. He also set a single-game school record for completions, but the Red Wolves (2-5) still dropped to 0-5 all-time against Big Ten foes.

For 30 minutes, it looked as if Arkansas State might end that drought and earn the second win in school history over a BCS school. But Chappell's huge second half changed everything. Chappell found Terrance Turner for a nifty 27-yard TD pass late in the third quarter to make it 19-14. Arkansas State came close two or three times but never retook the lead.

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Photo © Darron Cummings of the Associated Press

Ohio State

Indiana, which has not beaten the Buckeyes since 1988, has never beaten a team ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in 27 attempts.

Indiana came in averaging 40 points and almost 350 passing yards a game, but quarterback Ben Chappell was harassed all day, completing 16 of 26 for 106 yards with two interceptions.
The Buckeyes piled up 478 yards while the Hoosiers finished with just 210, less than half their average of 455 yards a game. Dan Herron added two touchdowns while rushing for 68 yards on 12 carries.

Terrelle Pryor's passing yardage easily surpassed his previous high of 266 in a victory over Oregon in the 2010 Rose Bowl. With his sixth straight game of at least 300 yards of total offense, he tied the school record held by Joe Germaine (1996-98). Pryor, who also moved into fourth place in total offense at Ohio State with 6,518 yards, finished 24 of 30.

OSU Coach Jim Tressel improved to 235-78-2 in 25 years (the first 15 at Football Championship Subdivision Youngstown State). He won his 100th at Ohio State in his 121st game, the third-fastest among Big Ten coaches.

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Photo © CBS Sports

Dedication Game at Memorial Stadium

The Rock!

1960-2010
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Dedication Game at Memorial Stadium. A lot has changed between now and then. Continue to Defend the Rock!
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Michigan

Michigan and Indiana traded offensive punches all afternoon Saturday, setting records and shredding defenses. Heisman Trophy candidate Denard Robinson was superb; Ben Chappell might have matched him throwing a school record 480 yards.



It wasn’t easy or pretty for either team at Memorial Stadium.

The No. 19 Wolverines and unranked Hoosiers combined for 1,143 offensive yards, including 943 through three quarters.

 Every time the Wolverines (5-0) tried to pull away, Indiana (3-1) responded. The Hoosiers tied the game five different times through four quarters.

 Darius Willis caught a 19-yard TD pass from Chappell with 1:15 left in the fourth quarter that tied the game at 35. Michigan didn’t clinch the win until Robinson hooked up with Junior Hemingway on a 42-yard pass down to the Indiana 4-yard line with 21 seconds remaining that put the Wolverines in position for the winning score.



None more important than the game-winning touchdown run with 17 seconds remaining. Robinson carried to the left side for the winning TD on the next play.

It was a see-saw game the entire afternoon.


By the time the offensive battle everyone expected finally ended, Michigan emerged with a 42-35 victory.

Photo © Darron Cummings/AP
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