Ineffective offense dooms Hoosiers on the road at Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS - Converting on only one of 10 third downs and only recording a single score, the IU football team’s offense puttered to a 16-7 defeat on the road at Minnesota.

Marcus Thigpen was the lone star for the Hoosiers, who for the second straight game scored a touchdown of more than 77 yards.

This score came courtesy of a Ben Chappell loft, which found Thigpen wide open for a 77-yard touchdown reception.

But unfortunately for the Hoosiers, Thigpen’s reception was the only time they would force the scoreboard technician to punch any buttons in the frame for their scoring.

IU’s defense was bendable, letting up a lot of yards through the air, but weren’t breakable.

Despite being out on the field for nearly two-thirds of the game, the Hoosiers kept the score within a touchdown up until Minnesota’s final field goal in the game’s closing minutes.

Much of the defense's success came from the efforts of Jammie Kirlew, who led IU with 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks for 16 yards.

Minnesota wide receiver Eric Decker was the only Gopher to really damage the Hoosiers. Decker caught 13 passes for 190 yards; both were personal bests.

The Hoosiers return to action next Saturday as they welcome the Iowa Hawkeyes to Memorial Stadium.