IU came into its home opener against Ball State on Saturday with a road victory under its belt and looking for its eighth straight non-conference victory.
In Ball State’s first possession, junior linebacker Marcus Oliver forced his eighth career fumble, tying for him third-most in IU history. Sophomore safety Jonathan Crawford recovered the ball at the Ball State 26-yard-line.
Senior receiver Mitchell Paige caught three passes in the short drive but was tackled into junior receiver Simmie Cobbs Jr., who left the game with an ankle injury. A personal foul stunted the Hoosiers’ drive, and junior kicker Griffin Oakes kicked a 19-yard field goal to take the lead 3-0.
Following a Ball State 3-and-out, junior quarterback Richard Lagow threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to sophomore receiver Nick Westbrook, who replaced Cobbs after the junior suffered his ankle injury. The Hoosiers led 10-0 midway through the first quarter.
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With little scoring in the second quarter and senior All-American right guard Dan Feeney heading to the locker room due to a concussion, the Hoosiers drove 86 yards down the field, thanks in part to a 48-yard run by junior running back Mike Majette. Lagow found sophomore wide receiver Luke Timian in the middle of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown pass, Lagow’s second of the game.
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On its final drive of the first half, IU drove 33 yards on nine plays, and the drive ended with an Oakes 49-yard field goal, the 40th of his career, putting IU up 20-0.
The Hoosiers would take the 20-point lead into halftime, leaving Ball State scoreless.
The IU defense remained strong for the third quarter, allowing the Hoosier offense to extend the halftime lead to 30 points without a Ball State score.
Westbrook caught his third pass of the game along the right sideline on a screen and took the ball 79 yards to the endzone for Lagow’s third passing touchdown of the game. On the Hoosiers’ following drive, Oakes kicked his third field goal of the day, a 41-yard kick.
It wasn’t until the 3:37 mark of the third quarter that Ball State scored its first points. Morgan Hagee kicked a field goal after a 10-play drive stalled inside the 10-yard line.
The Hoosiers entered the fourth quarter with a 30-3 lead on the Cardinals 30-3.
Ball State’s next drive was much like its previous drive, as the Cardinals travelled 63 yards on seven plays in 2:25 and finished with another Hagee field goal.
In IU’s subsequent drive, the Hoosiers’ drive stalled and sophomore punter Joseph Gedeon’s punt was blocked and recovered in the endzone by the Cardinals. Ball State scored 13 unanswered, as IU’s lead dropped to 17 with 12:53 to go.
After a fourth-straight punt by IU, Ball State drove 78 yards down the field in 13 plays. A pass from sophomore Riley Neal to junior receiver Jordan Hogue was the Cardinals’ first offensive touchdown of the game and pulled them within 10 points of the Hoosiers with 3:06 to go.
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Despite the 20 consecutive Ball State points, IU would hang on to defeat the Cardinals, 30-20, and push its record to 2-0 on the season.
Cobbs' ankle injury may require surgery.
Final stats
QB Richard Lagow: 17-28, 266 yards, 3 touchdowns
RBDevine Redding: 26 carries, 110 yards
WR Nick Westbrook: 3 catches, 133 yards, 2 touchdowns
WR Mitchell Paige: 6 catches, 76 yards
Taylor Lehman
