Written By: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)
I was wrong. The national media was wrong. Heck, just about everybody was wrong.

We were all wrong, because at some point or another we mentioned something along these lines: For Indiana to finally get that breakthrough victory, they’ll have to play a nearly perfect game. Or maybe it was, I believe Michael Penix can lead this team to victory, but surely he’ll need to throw for over 300 yards and a couple scores.

Whatever group you may have been in, or even if you were in both (me), you find yourself this evening completely wrong.

Because if you watched that Indiana offense today, or even just perused the box score, I assure you that performance was far from perfect.

Until the last minutes of the fourth quarter, despite playing a large majority of this time with the lead, the offense was never clicking. The Penix we had grown accustomed to seeing in the past two seasons was nowhere to be found, the offensive line was getting bullied, and despite Stevie Scott’s two first-half touchdowns, the run game was far from established.

And despite all going bad for the offense, after Penn State – mistakenly – took Indiana defense’s invitation to score a touchdown and give the ball back down just 8, Penix and the offense had the opportunity to redeem themselves.

And redeem themselves they did.

“If there’s any amount of time left on that lock, our guys know. If we’ve got the ball and we’ve got Michael Penix, we’ve got a chance,” said Tom Allen postgame.

Penix proceeded to lead the offense down the field, sneak in the endzone for a touchdown, and juke his way into the endzone again for the 2-point conversion to tie the game and send it to overtime. He stayed hot in the extra time, firing a dart for a touchdown to Whop Philyor in the corner of the endzone and ultimately scoring the game-winning 2-point conversion on a scramble that forced him to fully extend his 6’3” frame and reach for the pylon. The play was reviewed, but the call on the field ultimately stood and it was official: Indiana knocked off its first top-ten opponent since 1987 and just its sixth all time.

“In my mind, I scored. I told the team when they were reviewing it, I said, ‘Hey it’s a touchdown. It’s a touchdown,’” said Penix.

Penn State finished the game having outgained Indiana 488 to 211. Their offense registered 27 first downs, while Indiana’s managed just 16. Fresh off a season that Penix set the school record for completion percentage, he completed just 19 of his 36 attempts for a meager 170 yards. He also threw a momentum-shifting interception one play after Penn State missed a field goal.

But it didn’t matter. The majority of his yards came when they were needed the most, when Indiana was all but dead.

“Since I’ve been here, we’ve found ways to lose these types of games. This game, we found a way to win,” said Allen.

Trailing and with their backs against the wall, the offense finally got it clicking.

“You know what they say, big time players make big time plays,” added Stevie Scott. Scott finished the game with 57 yards on 20 carries and 2 rushing touchdowns.

So yes, we were wrong. The offense never looked great and the box score looks even worse.Indiana didn’t play a perfect game, and Penix didn’t throw for over 300 yards. But the offense was able to do just enough to earn a tally in the most important stat column, the win column. The elusive victory finally secured.

1-0.

The Huddle

Indiana Offense Does Enough Late to Earn Breakthrough Victory

Hoosier Huddle