Hoosiers Lose a Heartbreaker in New York
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IU missed a tying field goal in OT.
Written by: TJ Inman (@TJ_HoosierHuddle)
Indiana fell just short of winning its first bowl game since 1991 but a pair of missed field goals doomed them as they lost 44-41 in overtime to the Duke Blue Devils in the 2015 Pinstripe Bowl.
The Duke Blue Devils got on the board first as Ross Martin connected on a 52-yard field goal. Indiana turned it over on downs but Rashard Fant was able to snag an interception to keep the score at 3-0 but Nate Sudfeld was intercepted by Dwayne Norman and, in the first of several long plays, Duke's Shaun Wilson scampered 85 yards for a touchdown to put Duke ahead 10-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Nate Sudfeld threw another interception but the IU defense forced a pair of Duke punts to keep the Hoosiers in the game and Sudfeld found Luke Timian for the first IU score of the day. The Hoosiers Devine Redding put IU ahead at 14-10 with a 17-yard run. Duke responded quickly as quarterback Thomas Sirk ran up the middle for a 73-yard touchdown run. Indiana marched down the field and Griffin Oakes connected on a 45-yard field goal to tie the game at the half at 17.
Ross Martin hit another field goal to regain the lead for Duke but Nick Westbrook scored his first career touchdown on a 3-yard pass from Nate Sudfeld to put IU back up by four points. The two sides traded scores as no team led by more than one possession for the remainder of the game. The Hoosiers missed a chance to win the game as Griffin Oakes was unable to nail a 55-yard field goal and the contest headed to overtime. Duke hit a field goal with the first possession and Griffin Oakes missed for the second time as the referees determined that his field goal attempt went narrowly outside the left upright and the Hoosiers fell 44-41.
Devine Redding led the Hoosiers with a new IU bowl record in rushing yards as he carried the ball 35 times for 227 yards. Nate Sudfeld threw for 389 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions in his final game as a Hoosier. Indiana finishes the season at 6-7 while the Duke Blue Devils improve to 8-5.
Hoosier Huddle will have complete coverage of the Pinstripe Bowl and continuing coverage of the offseason.