Turnovers plague Hoosiers as they lose out on Bucket, bowl game

WEST LAFAYETTE -- For months, everyone on the IU football team spoke of nothing but playing 13 games. Three weeks ago, after winning their fifth game of the season, the Hoosiers were on the cusp of being eligible for a bowl game berth.\nThree weeks later, at season's end, they still have not found that final, elusive sixth win. \nIU lost 28-19 to Purdue Saturday at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette. In the sloppy, turnover-filled game, IU not only lost the Old Oaken Bucket for the fifth straight time, but also missed out in its final opportunity to become bowl eligible this season. \n"Looking back on the season, it's easy to play 'what if,'" senior safety Will Meyers said. "We had an opportunity to go to a bowl game (Saturday), and we didn't do it."\nBoth teams combined for eight turnovers in the first half, and neither offense was able to take advantage of the others' mistakes. \nMeyers made the first major play of the game when he intercepted Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter's pass and returned the ball 30 yards to the IU \n46-yard line midway through the first quarter. \nHowever, the offense was unable to capitalize. The Hoosiers were forced to punt again, and this time it was blocked by Purdue and recovered in IU territory. Two plays later, Purdue running back Jaycen Taylor rushed for a 3-yard touchdown, giving Purdue a 7-0 lead. \nTurnovers were the story of the second quarter, too. \nThe Hoosiers intercepted Painter twice, once again by Meyers and then by senior safety Troy Grosfield. But IU fumbled the ball four times, killing drives in each case. \n"You can't turn the ball over like we did," IU coach Terry Hoeppner said. "We couldn't hang onto it, especially in the first half."\nFreshman running back Demetrius McCray fumbled on the Purdue 1-yard line just minutes into the second quarter, erasing a possible touchdown.\nIU got on the board halfway through the quarter following Meyers' second interception with a 31-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Austin Starr, but then another drive stalled when freshman wide receiver Ray Fisher fumbled without being hit. \nThe final two turnovers of the half came on one play.\nTaylor fumbled for Purdue on the IU 29-yard line. Junior cornerback Tracy Porter recovered the ball and took off down the sideline. After a 57-yard return, Porter was barely able to keep his feet and a Purdue player knocked the ball out from behind him.\nThe ball flew forward from the Purdue 14-yard line through the end zone for a touchback. The Boilermakers retained possession, and IU lost another possible touchdown opportunity. \n"I kept my balance, trying to get to the end zone, but guys just came from behind and knocked the ball out," Porter said. "I didn't know he was there, but he made a good play."\nWith that final turnover, Purdue held its 7-3 lead at halftime. \nThe second half played out much cleaner, but IU couldn't quite overcome the deficit. \nPainter threw a touchdown early in the third quarter to extend the lead to 14-3. IU freshman quarterback Kellen Lewis responded on the next drive with a rushing touchdown to make it 14-10. \nPurdue scored another touchdown on the ensuing drive, and IU followed with another Starr field goal to make it 21-13 at the end of the third quarter.\nStarr missed a 26-yard field goal wide left early in the fourth quarter. The IU defense responded with its fourth interception of the day, this time by Porter. \nOn the following drive, McCray broke a 53-yard run to the Purdue 2-yard line. After stalling for three downs, Lewis completed a 7-yard touchdown pass on 4th-and-goal to sophomore wide receiver James Hardy. \nTrailing 21-19 after the touchdown, Hoeppner decided to attempt a two-point conversion to tie the game. With five wide receivers and the defense spread out, Lewis attempted a quarterback draw. He was stopped on the 1-yard line. \nPurdue put the game away on the next drive, scoring on a 15-yard run by wide receiver Dorien Bryant to make it 28-19, ending the Hoosiers' 2006 bowl game hopes and giving the Boilermakers control of the Oaken Bucket for the fifth straight year. \n"I think it should be a close game with us winning," Hoeppner said. "But we went toe-to-toe with them. We'll get them in Bloomington next year"