Indiana's Offense Has Entered the Chat

Image: Indiana University Athletics

Written By: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)

They were doubted.

First, they were out-gained by 300 yards. Then, they were given prime field position by their defense that any team could convert into points.

They were the “but” with this Indiana team. They could be for real, but their offense…

Now, with a Don Brown-led Michigan defense headed into town and a Wolverine team that had won 24-straight against the Hoosiers, surely they would fold and show that they were pretenders all along.

Not so fast, my friend.

From the opening kick to the final whistle, Indiana’s balanced but passing-led attack dominated Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines. Michael Penix threw for a career high 342 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Stevie Scott tacked on two rushing scores and just under 100 yards.

“Coach [Nick] Sheridan was just making great calls,” said Michael Penix postgame, who was awarded today’s game ball. “We were just reading the defense and he called what he felt was fitting, and it was working.”

Working may be putting it nicely. Indiana’s receivers, who had struggled with drops all year, were making catches – both contested and open – all afternoon against a struggling Michigan secondary. The defense switched back and forth between man and zone coverages, but nothing could seemingly stop Indiana receivers from finding openings. Ty Fryfogle had 7 catches for 142 yards and a score, Whop Philyor added 11 receptions for 79 yards, and Peyton Hendershot found the endzone once again to convert one of his four receptions into six points.

“The O-line blocked their tails off today, they gave me a lot of time in the pocket. The receivers made great plays; they got open, and they attacked the ball,” added Penix. “We have great receivers and I just had to give them a chance, and see what they can do with that opportunity.”

Penix is always a humble leader, but Tom Allen made sure to give him the credit that he would not take himself.

“He reads coverages better than I ever thought,” said Allen. “You can see the arm talent, you can see the poise, you can see the throws he can make. We knew he was a special player. Once he got here, we began to realize this kid’s got some things to him that other kids don’t have.”

And when it was time for Penix to rest the arm and use his tailbacks to bleed out clock, Stevie Scott and Sampson James were ready.

“Love Mike, man,” started Scott. “He’s such a versatile player, he opens the field up for the running backs. That 1-2 connection [Scott and James] we’ve been talking about all offseason is definitely gonna start coming into play these next few weeks.”

Penix and crew finished the day with 460 total yards. They amassed 28 first downs and despite coming into the game last in the Big Ten in 3rd down conversion percentage, went 9 for 18 on third down and 2 for 2 on fourth. After the first quarter, Michigan was never within one score.

Utter domination, for a historic victory: the first time Indiana has beat both Penn State and Michigan in the same season, the second ranked opponent to fall to the hands of the Hoosiers this season, and the best conference start since 1988.

No buts or doubts about that.