Special Teams Mistakes Prove Fatal as Hoosiers Fall to Terrapins
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D.J. Moore (1) Celebrates a touchdown with his teammates Image: Sarah Miller Hoosier Huddle
Written by TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)
If the Indiana Hoosiers are to make a bowl game for third straight season, they'll need to win three of their next four games and one of those contests is against yet another top five opponent. The Hoosiers are banged up and rotation players continue to drop like flies. Today's defeat added insult to the growing list of injuries as IU's special teams and defense fell apart and the Hoosiers squandered a very early 14-0 lead and fell in College Park to the Maryland Terrapins 42-39.
IU was playing without both Morgan Ellison and Mike Majette and left tackle Coy Cronk was clearly hobbled. Still, the offense got off to a great start as Peyton Ramsey marched the Hoosiers down the field and then found Simmie Cobbs for a 34 yard touchdown reception. The opening drive went 75 yards on ten plays. Tony Fields intercepted a deep ball by Max Bortenschlager and returned it to the Maryland 38 to put the offense in good position and they quickly capitalized. Ramsey found Cole Gest in the flat and he ran over a defender and scampered into the end zone from 23 yards out to put IU ahead 14-0. The Hoosiers got the ball back and looked like they could be on their way to a commanding lead. However, Ramsey threw an interception to Darnell Savage at the Terps had the ball at the 14. Lorenzo Harrison ran it in on the very next play to get the home team on the scoreboard. IU was forced to punt and Haydon Whitehead made one of the few decent special teams plays of the day for IU as he pinned Maryland inside the five. Allen Stallings broke into the backfield and took down Ty Johnson in the end zone to earn IU two points with a safety. The Hoosier offense could not move the ball and were forced to punt and Darnell Savage made another big play, blocking the punt and scooping it up in the end zone for a touchdown. Indiana answered as Ramsey found Luke Timian across the middle for a 23 yard touchdown that made it 23-14. Indiana kicked the ball out of bounds for the second time and then had a pair of 15 yard penalties that helped escort the Maryland offense into scoring territory. Bortenschlager found Taivon Jacobs for a 12 yard score and the Terrapins were within two. IU was forced to punt and it was shanked out of bounds at midfield. D.J. Moore caught a deep ball that got Maryland down to the five and then he caught a fade pass in the end zone that put the Terrapins ahead for the first time, 28-23. The Hoosiers punted to end the first half and despite dominating possession, they trailed at the half.
The second half began with a good drive by Maryland but the Hoosiers stopped them on the 20 and Jacob Robinson blocked the field goal attempt. Indiana got inside the 40 and the game took an ugly turn when a Maryland defender dove at the knee of Peyton Ramsey well after he had thrown a pass. Ramsey was forced to exit the game and didn't look mobile the rest of the way. Whop Philyor scored on the next play on a sweep and IU took a 30-28 lead. The Hoosiers added a 41 yard field goal from Griffin Oakes to make it 33-28. Special teams play again proved to be an Achilles heel for IU as Maryland returned the ensuing kickoff to the 18 yard line and took advantage of the field position on the first play of the fourth quarter as Jake Funk dove in for a short touchdown. The Hoosiers were forced to punt and Maryland's Funk scored again on a short run to put the Terps ahead 42-33. Peyton Ramsey was unable to continue and Richard Lagow led the Hoosiers down the field and found Simmie Cobbs for a score but the extra point was blocked and IU trailed by three, 39-42. After the teams traded punts, IU was pinned at the one yard line with two minutes left. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by Maryland gave the Hoosiers some breathing down and saved them from facing a fourth and three but IU would not threaten and they came up four yards short of a first down on fourth and ten and fell 42-39.
The Hoosiers gained 483 yards of offense and threw for 410 yards but the mistakes on special teams proved to be too much and IU lost another close game. They are now 3-5 and still winless in the Big Ten heading into a matchup with Wisconsin. IU still has three very winnable games on the schedule but it is hard to expect them to win those with the mounting injuries and the number of mistakes IU makes. Ultimately, they could easily be 6-2 but have found different ways to lose each of the past three contests and now find their 2017 season on life support.