A win over Michigan State puts IU football in bowl contention for the 1st time in over a decade

Saturday night’s game against Michigan State – set for a 7 p.m. kickoff time – is going to be deja vu all over again for the Hoosiers. \nAs was the case during its last road game against Iowa, IU (5-1, 1-1) is squaring off against a team coming off two straight losses. Michigan State, who IU blew out last year at Memorial Stadium, is also celebrating its homecoming this week. \nThe difference for IU is that the team is playing for something far more important than the Old Brass Spittoon. If the Hoosiers emerge victorious, they will fulfill their much-discussed objective of becoming bowl eligible for the first time in more than a decade – much sooner than expected. In order to do that, IU must go through the Spartans.\n“There is a great tradition at Michigan State and great fan support. And playing a night game, I don’t think they do that a lot, so it will be a wild environment,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. “Their numbers are really balanced. But it starts with the running game.”\nThe ringleader of MSU’s (4-2, 0-2) rushing attack is junior running back Javon Ringer. Ringer is averaging 7.1 yards per carry with four total touchdowns on the year and an astonishing 15 yards per carry in Big Ten play. Lynch compared Ringer to Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall, who punished the Hoosiers for more than 200 yards on the ground. \n“(Ringer’s) a player,” sophomore linebacker Will Patterson said. “Probably one of the best backs we’ll face all year. He runs hard; he’s tough. It’ll be a challenge.”\nWhile the Hoosiers’ defense will have its hands full with the Spartan ground game, the offense expects to see a familiar defensive scheme standing on the other side of the ball.\nMSU defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi was formerly employed at Miami University (Ohio), where he served as defensive coordinator under late IU coach Terry Hoeppner. Also working on that same staff were current IU co-defensive coordinators Brian George and Joe Palcic. As a result, both MSU’s and IU’s defenses have similar looks and styles.\n“They have some similarities to our defense, so we feel like we have a slight advantage,” sophomore quarterback Kellen Lewis said. “They’re a big strong defense. They like to try and intimidate guys and beat them up, so we just can’t go in there and get scared and intimidated.”\nIU has yet to be frightened on the road or wilt under the lights this year – the team is undefeated in night games and road games this season. Sophomore wide receiver Ray Fisher said he would rather play games at night. \n“Playing in the lights make you look prettier,” Fisher said. “It’s better – you don’t have to wake up at seven in the morning to get ready for the game.”\nAnother reason Fischer said he and his team enjoy playing at night is because there is a better chance more people will get to see them play. \nAnd although IU has struggled in years past to make a good impression on the field, this year’s team is anything but camera shy.\n“At night it’s more of a prime-time type game. There are more people watching, and I think our whole team likes people watching us,” sophomore wide receiver Andrew Means said. “We’re showing people what Indiana football’s all about.”