IU @ Rutgers

Indiana (3-5, 1-4 Big Ten) opened the game with a 93-yard touchdown return on the kickoff as Jaylin Lucas went untouched to put the Hoosiers up 7-0. The fast-paced Indiana offense moved right down the field on its first drive of the game. Quarterback Connor Bazelak capped off the 11-play, 91-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown run to give Indiana the 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

After that, if was all Rutgers. Indiana only had the ball for 53 seconds in the third quarter.

It was good enough to snap a 21-game conference home losing streak for Rutgers (4-3, 1/3 Big Ten). The last conference home win was against Maryland in 2017. It was the longest home conference game losing streak in Big Ten history.

Sources:
The Helmet Project found here:
http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm
Photo © The B1G Network
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=401405121

IU v Maryland

Following an injury to Taulia Tagovailoa in the fourth quarter, Billy Edwards Jr. stepped in and led a game-winning drive to lift Maryland past Indiana 38-33.

The Hoosiers' offense continued to struggle when it mattered most, struggling in the fourth quarter after failing to score in the second half in each of its last two games. Down by four with five and a half minutes left, Indiana had the ball with a chance to put together a go-ahead drive, but a fumble on the second play of the drive allowed Maryland to take possession and bleed the clock.

The loss was the 700th in IU’s history, the first Division 1 program to his that mark. 

Sources:
The Helmet Project found here:
http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm
Photo © The B1G Network
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=401405114

IU v Michigan

No. 4 Michigan won with heart for Mike Hart.

After the running game coordinator collapsed on the sideline in the first quarter, the Wolverines regrouped at halftime, returned to Wolverines football and performed like Hart wanted.

Cornelius Johnson's 29-yard touchdown reception early in the third quarter gave Michigan the lead and the jolt it needed Saturday to celebrate a 31-10 victory over pesky Indiana without their beloved coach.

The Hoosiers played its best first half of the season but still hasn't played a complete game all season. The defense and special teams, as usual, kept Indiana close. What they're lacking: a consistent offense.

Sources:
The Helmet Project found here:
http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm
Photo © The B1G Network
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=401405108

IU @ Nebraska

Casey Thompson threw for two touchdowns and ran for another and Nebraska beat a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent for the first time in 364 days with a 35-21 victory over Indiana.

Thompson, benched for a series in the first half and shaken up on a big hit in the third quarter, threw a 71-yard touchdown pass to Trey Palmer early in the fourth to break a 21-all tie and followed with a 1-yard run to give the Cornhuskers a two-score cushion.

The win ended a nine-game losing streak against FBS opponents — the Huskers' previous one was against Northwestern on October 2, 2021 — and was Mickey Joseph's first since he was named interim head coach following the firing of Scott Frost on Sept. 11.

The Huskers (2-3, 1-1 Big Ten) broke open the game in the fourth quarter as Thompson came through with big plays during what had been an up-and-down performance.

The Hoosiers were hamstrung on offense because their top two receivers, Cam Camper and D.J. Matthews, were out with injuries.

"Obviously, they're huge parts of our offense," Bazelak said. "So it was tough not having them, but we had some guys step up and we made some plays but we've got to find ways to make more."

Thompson got chewed out on the sideline by enraged offensive coordinator Mark Whipple after taking a drive-killing sack in the second quarter. Thompson was on the bench when Nebraska got the ball back at its 10.

Whipple was sending Thompson a message, but it came with a cost. On third down Purdy fumbled while a blitzing Louis Moore began pulling him down, and Myles Jackson recovered for a TD.

Nebraska's Chris Kolarevic blocked James Evans' second-quarter punt and Malcolm Hartzog picked up the ball with a clear path to the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown. It was Nebraska's first blocked punt returned for a touchdown since 2009.

Nebraska offensive lineman Turner Corcoran was ejected late in the second quarter after getting called for unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct on consecutive plays. Corcoran charged into the pile after Thompson's facemask was pulled while going down, negating the penalty on the Hoosiers. On the next play Corcoran punched Aaron Casey while the linebacker was on the ground.

Sources:
The Helmet Project found here:
http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm
Photo © The B1G Network
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=401405102