Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

What: Indiana Hoosiers (1-1) vs. Georgia Southern Eagles (0-2)

When: Saturday, September 23 at 3:30 pm

Where: Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, IN

How to Watch: The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. Fans can also listen to the game on the IU Radio Network with the legendary Don Fischer on the call.

What’s at Stake: The Hoosiers and Eagles will be meeting for the first time in program history on Saturday and a victory is essential if IU is to reach a third consecutive bowl game. IU will be looking to get above .500 for the first time in this young season and this is the first of ten straight Saturday’s they will be taking the field so getting that grueling stretch off to a good start is imperative. Georgia Southern, a program with a proud tradition and high standards, is off to a 0-2 start and second-year head coach Tyson Summers is on the hot seat. He’ll hope his team responds to having their backs against the wall.

Game Day Notes: Indiana University will be honoring the 2007 Insight Bowl team and former coach Terry Hoeppner. Hoeppner tragically passed away from complications due to a brain tumor. For the tenth anniversary of that bowl team, the first in over a decade for the Hoosiers, IU will be wearing “The Rock”-themed special uniforms for the occasion.

A Few Things to Look For

Establishing the O-Line – The Indiana Hoosiers have yet to really establish themselves along the offensive line. As a result, the running game has struggled. There is no need to panic just yet but a weak rushing performance this Saturday should set off alarm bells. Brandon Knight is expected to return to the lineup after missing the first two games with a foot injury. His addition will be a huge boon for the line and he should slide in at right tackle. Will that push Delroy Baker to guard or will he be a swing sub? How will Knight’s return improve the line? Will IU be able to push around the Georgia Southern defensive line? I am hoping to see Morgan Ellison and Cole Gest get the bulk of the carries at running back as I feel they have the highest ceiling and would benefit from extended work but it will be interesting how things may have shifted in the eyes of the coaches after two weeks of practice. Anything less than a good showing from the running game and the offensive line would be highly concerning.

Defending the Shotgun Option – Georgia Southern runs their option attack out of the shotgun, a unique twist on a unique style of football. They’ll mix in both the read option and the triple option from a spread formation that begins in the shotgun. Playing disciplined “assignment football” is absolutely key. The Hoosiers will look to get penetration from their defensive line to disrupt the rhythm and timing of the attack and then make sure they tackle well and prevent any explosive run plays due to blown assignments. Getting Georgia Southern behind schedule on offense and forcing them into third and medium or third and long situations would present a huge issue for the Eagles and should allow IU to control the contest. If Georgia Southern is able to consistently get into third and short, they might be able to milk the clock, control the ball and cause some frustration for the Hoosiers. Look for big tackling totals for IU’s linebackers and for the Hoosiers to move Husky players like Marcelino Ball and Zeke Walker into the box to wreak havoc on the Eagles attack without the fear of getting beat through the air.

The Quarterback “Battle” – I have no clue how things will play out between Richard Lagow and Peyton Ramsey. I am confident Lagow will start and I am confident Ramsey will get some snaps but I refuse to offer any prediction beyond that because I don’t think anyone knows how it’ll play out each week. Tom Allen has said the snap breakdown for each will depend entirely on game flow and I believe him. I feel it is important for each player to have a nice day on Saturday. Lagow needs to bounce-back from a sluggish afternoon two weeks ago in Charlottesville. Ramsey needs a good performance in order to validate what we saw from him as he sparked the Hoosiers and led them to victory at UVA. Both are needed for this offense to reach its peak and both will have vital roles to play moving forward.

The Huddle

Game Day Primer: Indiana Hoosiers vs. Georgia Southern Eagles

A Few Things to Look For

Hoosier Huddle