8 game losing streak halted

It took the rekindling of a 78-year old rivalry to end an eight-game losing streak. \nThe Hoosier football team defeated regional foe Indiana State 33-3 to give IU its first win of the year in its home opener. The team rallied behind a strong running game, a steady defense and big plays on special teams to answer a pair of blowout losses with a blowout win of its own. \nDespite the earlier losses at UConn and Washington to open the year, coach Gerry DiNardo downplayed the importance of needing this win over any others.\n"I don't ever remember not needing a victory," DiNardo said. "You always need a victory. I think most teams need victories because it's so much hard work and there's no reward unless you win. Practice isn't any fun and working out isn't usually a lot of fun and the only fun is winning. We were much better than the past two weeks, but then again I expected that because we match up better with this team than the past two. Our emphasis was the turnovers and playing the whole game."\nIU opened the scoring on the Sycamores' first offensive possession. After downing a Tyson Beattie punt at the one yard line, the Hoosiers forced the ISU offense to go three and out. On the ensuing play, the snap bounced off the hands of senior Sycamore punter Pat Jordan and out of the end zone, giving IU a safety and a 2-0 advantage. \nFreshman Lance Bennett then returned the Sycamore free kick 70 yards down the right sideline, setting up IU's first touchdown. At the nine yard line, sophomore tailback Chris Taylor got the ball on three successive plays, breaking through the left side of the line on the third for the score.\nAfter ISU answered with a seven-play drive resulting in a 36-yard field goal, IU again scored, this time with a different running back. True freshman BenJarvus Green-Ellis entered the game and carried the ball five times on the drive for 24 yards, including a one-yard touchdown run up the middle to make the score 16-3. \n"(The running game) is what we emphasized on this week in practice," Taylor said. "I feel like we did OK, but I feel like we can do better. Now, we're going to enjoy the night and get ready for Kentucky starting tomorrow."\nThe Sycamores answered with a long drive of their own. The team got the ball on its own 21-yard line and managed a 13-play drive to the IU 15-yard line, highlighted by a 20-yard pass play to junior wideout Scott Penick and a 20-yard run play on an inside handoff to junior tailback Jake Shields. But, on a second down and eleven play, IU true freshman Will Meyers came through the line and hit freshman ISU quarterback Jake Schiff's blind side, causing a fumble that sophomore linebacker Kyle Killion recovered.\n"We had a blitz called, the end looped out and I came underneath and it was just wide open," Meyers said. "No one blocked me, I just saw the quarterback and it was exciting."\nIU then turned again to Taylor, who carried 11 of 14 plays for 50 yards, leading IU to its own one-yard line. However, the Sycamore defense stuffed Taylor for no gain on three successive plays. DiNardo went for it on fourth down and one, and junior quarterback Matt LoVecchio lunged into the endzone on a quarterback sneak.\nThe Sycamores had their own fourth and one on the next possession and called the very same play, a quarterback sneak. But, the ball came up inches short and IU had one more possession prior to the half. After a penalty, LoVecchio hit junior wideout Courtney Roby around midfield, who ran with the ball, made a spin move and dashed down the sidelines for a would-be 60-yard touchdown. But, an official threw a flag for an illegal receiver downfield, even as celebratory fireworks went off around the stadium.\n"It hurt my feelings, I gotta admit it, it hurt bad," Roby said of the call. "I felt like crying on the field. No, but, that was just luck of the draw. It hurts, so I'm sure I'll have plenty more opportunities."\nAfter a third quarter, 21-yard field goal by junior Bryan Robertson, IU scored its final points on a second Green-Ellis touchdown. The running back carried all eight chances of the eight play drive, culminating in an 11-yard touchdown run that gave him 107 yards on the day and IU the commanding 33-3 lead. Taylor added 92 yards of his own, while LoVecchio passed for 146. Defensively, Meyers and Killion led the way with eight tackles apiece. \n"We matched up with this opponent," DiNardo said. "I anticipated that all of our statistics would be better than they were at the end of the first two games just because we match up a little bit better. That's why the emphasis going in was more turnovers and playing four quarters, because I expected we would statistically win the game. I didn't know if we'd win the game, but I thought statistically we would win it because we matched up."\n-- Contact staff writer Gavin Lesnick at glesnick@indiana.edu.