'Hoosier Classics' Rewinds to Bryan Payton's Career Day Against Minnesota in 2007

Written By Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

In the fourth installment of the Indiana football edition of ‘Hoosier Classics’ the Indiana athletic department is throwing it back to the magical 2007 season. Saturday’s showing of the Hoosiers’ 40-20 win over Minnesota is the first of three games from the 2007 season that saw the Hoosiers go 7-6 and earn a spot in the Insight Bowl.

Coming off a blowout win over Iowa, the Hoosiers (4-1) returned home to face the Minnesota Golden Gophers (1-4). In front of an announced crowd of 32,009 the Hoosiers and Gophers traded punches in the first quarter that saw both teams scored two touchdowns, but behind a career day from redshirt sophomore Bryan Payton and four Austin Starr field goals, the Hoosiers would pull away to move to 5-1.

Payton, out of Fort Wayne (Ind.), ran the ball 12 times for 90 yards and scored three touchdowns. Quarterback Kellen Lewis finished 24-of-36 passing for 235 yards and a touchdown through the air. Ray Fisher paced the Hoosier receivers with nine catches for 106 yards. James Hardy added five catches for 85 yards and a touchdown.

The Hoosiers defense recorded six tackles for loss and got interceptions from linebacker Will Patterson and cornerback Leslie Majors. Adam McClurg and Nick Polk paced the Hoosiers with nine and eight tackles respectively.

Minnesota featured some big talent names as Adam Weber was breaking in at quarterback and wide receiver Eric Decker was still developing into an NFL receiver. Weber finished 24-of-44 for 280 yards and a touchdown while Decker caught eight passes for 74 yards.

The game will be re-broadcast on Indiana’s Facebook page at 7pm ET