Powers, Lewis can't spark offense

As IU interim head coach Bill Lynch knows, sometimes college football is just about good players making big plays. \nIU junior cornerback Tracy Porter did just that for Lynch despite a 14-7 loss against the University of Connecticut Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. \n"I thought he played great. He did so many different things," Lynch said of Porter after the game. "He's a really good player, and your really good players have to play well on Saturday. Tracy's a guy I think we count on, and he certainly played well." \nPorter made big plays all game long for an IU defense that held UConn to only one offensive touchdown on the day. \nBig play No. 1 came with 8:43 left in the first quarter. Porter intercepted a pass by Huskies quarterback D.J. Hernandez, the first of two interceptions on the day. \nBig play No. 2 came early in the second quarter. Just over a minute into the period, Porter got his hands on another Hernandez pass deep in IU territory. Porter intercepted the ball at the IU 18-yard line, ending a possible Huskie scoring drive. \n"It changed the momentum. Everyone was fighting and fighting, but once he got those interceptions, it took our game to another level," sophomore defensive tackle Greg Brown said. "It boosted our confidence as a defense."\nIt would not be the last time Porter ended a potential UConn scoring drive for his defense. \nIU senior punter Tyson Beattie pinned the Huskies deep in their own territory with a 71-yard punt, which Porter downed at the Connecticut 1-yard line with 10:30 left in the second quarter. From there, the Huskies put together their first long offensive drive of the game.\nConnecticut senior running back Terry Caulley broke the drive open by scampering 57 yards down the sideline before Porter caught up to bring him down. A few plays later, Connecticut threatened to score from the IU 17-yard line. Hernandez lofted a pass to the back of the end zone that Porter batted away, just missing his third interception. \nThe drive finally stalled at the IU 13-yard line. UConn senior kicker Matt Nuzie trotted out onto the field to attempt a 30-yard field goal. Porter streaked in from the left side and blocked the kick, ending the scoring threat. \n"It looked like a bad snap. I almost ran past the kick, but I had to stop," Porter said. "I was just in the right place at the right time again."\nPorter's play, along with the rest of the defense, would not be enough. After scoring on an interception return early in the game, the Connecticut offense struck for its only offensive touchdown in the third quarter and never looked back. \nThe defense would hold the rest of the game, but whatever momentum Porter and the defense were able to start, the offense was unable to sustain. \n"It's frustrating when we're doing good, and the offense is struggling, and when the offense is doing good, and we're struggling," Porter said. "We're just going to try to work harder to get both sides on the same page, playing as well as we can leading into the Big Ten"