Had I been on the Howard Bison offensive line, I would have been asking the same question. “Which one of these guys am I going to try to block?” I can commiserate with Howard, especially the guy snapping the ball. This was a problem for the Bison o-line all day yesterday. I think Indiana had 12 tackles for loss. Indiana’s defense held Howard to 13 yards rushing on 27 carries. Conversely, Indiana ran for 296 yards on 46 carries. It could have been more.
In a Memorial Stadium first, we are starting to get used to this concept, both head coaches agreed to play a 10-minute 4th quarter. The gambling set didn’t like this. Indiana won 55-0. The line was just a touch higher than this.
The Hoosiers looked much shaper in week 2. A 75-degree temperature at kickoff will always help that compared to last week’s 91 degrees noon start that only got hotter. Nevertheless, Indiana can brag about a sold-out crowd showing up to see a practice game. Josh Hoover and his 4 td passes were done at the half. His replacement, Grandpa Grant Wilson, threw 2 TDs in the third quarter. Had Tyler Cherry not succumbed to a little pucker factor, he may have thrown a TD in the 4th.
Overall, it was a good day to be a Hoosier. I’ll take a crowd like this any day. If you can fill a stadium like this while you are playing Pea Ridge, good on you. This will work out. The Hilltoppers from Western Kentucky come calling next week. I am determined to get a selfie with the Western mascot next week.
On a bad note, the Hoosiers missed their first PAT of the Coach Curt Cignettie era. Kicker Paddy McAteer missed his second PAT attempt of the game subbing for the injured Nicco Raddicic. So, for now, IU kickers for Coach Cig are 170 of 171 on PATs. On a good note, I love the name Paddy on the gridiron. The last time I saw this was Paddy Doyle playing wide receiver for Louisiana Tech in 1986.
Congratulations to Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns for winning a big one over the Ohio State Buckeyes. You and I can’t quantify the pressure that must be on a kid named Manning. All I know is that Arch looks more like Archie than he does his two famous uncles. Believe that when you hear it. I love me some Midwest football. This was okay. Arch Manning’s uncle MADE football in Indiana. I say any kid named Manning needs to win every week. Don’t feel bad for the Buckeyes. This loss will only make them more resilient.
The tarnish on this win for the Horns was the way their head coach steve sarkisian (I refuse to use capital letters here) treated Holly Rowe after the game when Holly was trying to get a post-game interview with the Texas coach. He was an ass. I just turned my head sideways and thought, if this guy coaches his team anything like he coaches himself, I hope Indiana faces Texas in the CFP. It’ll be another Rose Bowlesque beat down like the one the Hoosiers gave the Alabama Crimson Tide. I am not flippant here. That was a bush league move by Sark. No class. He has plenty to learn. He’ll be taught.
Michigan beats Oklahoma. I did not see this coming. Did you? As a kid of a coach, I can’t help but to gravitate towards coaches I really respect. Coach Kyle Whittingham is under the aegis of this respect. I am DELIGHTED he is coaching Michigan. He probably knows he can thank the Big Ten for helping his team dodge a loss against Western Michigan last week. Still, I hope the Wolverines do well this season under a guy with some class.
Duke beats Illinois in Champaign. That was hard to take. Didn’t see a down of it. Did not expect it at all.
Goldy disappointed too. Mississippi State came to Minneapolis and took over. Minnesota’s boat sank Saturday night.
In September, we can all still say there is still hope for the season.