NU's David Ngene creams IU QB Kellen Lewis on one play. Lewis leaves banged up.
Next play, IU's backup QB, Ben Chappell drops back on 3rd-and-6 looking for their monster receiver, 6-foot-7 James Hardy...but NU linebacker Eddie Simpson steps in front of the play, catches the ball and takes it back 41 yards for the touchdown.
Looks like we've got ourselves a ballgame...and who would have thought it'd be because of the defense?
Indiana 14
NU 10
Saturday, November 10, 2007
NU's chances bounce off of Lane's thigh
Sigh.
On 3rd-and-6 from the Indiana 12, Bacher finds Ross Lane open in the end zone over the middle. Bacher makes a perfect throw to Lane, who grabs the ball with his hands and tries to reel it into his body. As he's in the air, he brings it down to his chest...and the ball hits his left thigh.
It bounces off of his quadricep and into IU safety Austin Thomas' chest. He catches the ball and takes a knee in the end zone for a touchback.
Four trips into IU territory. Three points.
On 3rd-and-6 from the Indiana 12, Bacher finds Ross Lane open in the end zone over the middle. Bacher makes a perfect throw to Lane, who grabs the ball with his hands and tries to reel it into his body. As he's in the air, he brings it down to his chest...and the ball hits his left thigh.
It bounces off of his quadricep and into IU safety Austin Thomas' chest. He catches the ball and takes a knee in the end zone for a touchback.
Four trips into IU territory. Three points.
IU strikes again
IU QB Kellen Lewis makes a great fake to RB Bryan Payton and scampers 14 yards down the left side for a touchdown. Indiana takes the lead, 14-3.
The Hoosiers looked great on that drive with a nice blend of passing and rushing. Could be a shootout....
...If NU could score. The Cats held the ball for more than 13 minutes in the first quarter and racked up 140+ yards, taking the ball into IU territory three times. They have three points, after Villarreal missed a 31-yard FG a minute into the second quarter. Three trips into the other side of the field. Three points.
Lots of yards, not lots of points. Sounds all-too familiar.
The Hoosiers looked great on that drive with a nice blend of passing and rushing. Could be a shootout....
...If NU could score. The Cats held the ball for more than 13 minutes in the first quarter and racked up 140+ yards, taking the ball into IU territory three times. They have three points, after Villarreal missed a 31-yard FG a minute into the second quarter. Three trips into the other side of the field. Three points.
Lots of yards, not lots of points. Sounds all-too familiar.
End of the first quarter
Indiana 7
Northwestern 3
Offense looks strong, and it doesn't seem like the Hoosiers can stop the Cats. Sutton has 43 rushing yards and 32 receiving yards, as NU has dominated the ball in the first half. Balanced offense - 13 rushes, 14 passes - something you rarely see with the Cats.
Too bad it doesn't matter - only 3 points on the first two trips into IU territory, and a botched special teams play still has the Hoosiers in the lead.
Defense came up with some nice pass defense and a little pressure on IU QB Kellen Lewis. But, as we've seen the past few weeks, it doesn't matter how NU starts the game - only how they finish.
Northwestern 3
Offense looks strong, and it doesn't seem like the Hoosiers can stop the Cats. Sutton has 43 rushing yards and 32 receiving yards, as NU has dominated the ball in the first half. Balanced offense - 13 rushes, 14 passes - something you rarely see with the Cats.
Too bad it doesn't matter - only 3 points on the first two trips into IU territory, and a botched special teams play still has the Hoosiers in the lead.
Defense came up with some nice pass defense and a little pressure on IU QB Kellen Lewis. But, as we've seen the past few weeks, it doesn't matter how NU starts the game - only how they finish.
Bacher picked off
On first down in Indiana territory, Bacher is picked off by Indiana's Tracy Porter. Bacher was looking for Kim Thompson on a post from the right side, and Thompson had a step on his cornerback. The throw was slightly behind the receiver, though, and Porter jumped in front and took the ball for a 13-yard return.
The Cats could be looking at a 14-3 deficit in a few minutes...
The Cats could be looking at a 14-3 deficit in a few minutes...
NU on the board first
Amado Villarreal just drilled a 29-yard FG to put NU on the board first, 3-0.
The Cats showed some decent balance on the drive - well, decent in NU terms. Four rushes, six passes and one botched snap by C.J. Bacher. A couple nice plays on the drive: Bacher found Ross Lane over the middle on 3rd-and-long for 19 and a first down. And again on 3rd-and-6 in IU territory, Bacher lobbed a pass over the defense to Sutton, who made a nice cutback and scampered for 20 yards.
Offense appears to be clicking, but stalled deep in IU territory after two rushes went nowhere Bacher's third down pass to Eric Peterman was a little long.
IU coming up with the ball for the first time.
And, as I was writing this, IU took the kickoff 91 yards for a TD. Yikes.
Indiana 7
Northwestern 3
The Cats showed some decent balance on the drive - well, decent in NU terms. Four rushes, six passes and one botched snap by C.J. Bacher. A couple nice plays on the drive: Bacher found Ross Lane over the middle on 3rd-and-long for 19 and a first down. And again on 3rd-and-6 in IU territory, Bacher lobbed a pass over the defense to Sutton, who made a nice cutback and scampered for 20 yards.
Offense appears to be clicking, but stalled deep in IU territory after two rushes went nowhere Bacher's third down pass to Eric Peterman was a little long.
IU coming up with the ball for the first time.
And, as I was writing this, IU took the kickoff 91 yards for a TD. Yikes.
Indiana 7
Northwestern 3
IU Predictions
Game just kicked off, and we're scrambling for some predictions:
Matt:
Indiana's passing offense rips holes in Northwestern's porous
secondary. Seinor Day can't carry the Cats, who are already mentally
shot from the last two weeks.
Indiana 42, NU 28
Chris: Indiana 31-28
Abe: 28-27, Indiana
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