Tag Archives: big ten

Indiana Football’s Top Five Matches Ranking for the 2021 Season | Instant News

February 17, 2021 NewsDesk

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – A few weeks ago Tom Allen talked about his vision of Indiana football winning the Top Ten Championship.

As new players arrive on campus and the majority of rookies continue to work off-the-beaten-track this season, it is the realistic expectation that Allen places on his team.

For the Hoosiers to prove they are the top team in the country, they need a schedule that will allow them to show it. Luckily for Indiana, their schedule is full of opportunities in 2021.

Indiana’s schedule was unveiled in early February, and although there are ways to go before it starts, we decided to take a look at the five most exciting and most exciting games for the Hoosiers in 2021.

5.) At Purdue, November 27

It doesn’t matter how good or bad Indiana and Purdue are in a given season, when the two teams meet it’s always a big problem.

The Old Oaken Bucket game will likely always be the top five game on the Indiana schedule. And if you take into account the games that were postponed last season due to COVID-19, the fight at the end of November will be the longest time since the two rivals fought on the football pitch.

There’s something about bragging rights between the two fan bases and it’s being the last game of the regular season that makes this game special.

Indiana Turon Ivy Jr.’s tight end. (84) lifts the Oaken Bucket as Indiana celebrates Purdue’s 44-41 double overtime loss to win the Old Oaken Bucket, Saturday, November 30, 2019 at Ross-Ade Stadium.

Nikos Frazier / USA TODAY Sports

4.) at Penn State, October 2

If you’re a Penn State fan, this game might actually be higher on the list if you rank the Nittany Lions schedule.

Undeniably one of the best games of 2020 was the season opener between these two teams, which resulted in a dramatic finish in overtime with Michael Penix Jr. dive for the pole with a two-point conversion. Some could argue that losing the game really thwarted Penn State for the rest of the season, and some argued that Penix didn’t hit the post, which means Penn State should have won the game.

Michael Penix Jr. dived for the pole to beat Penn State in extra time last season at Memorial Stadium.

Marc Lebryk / USA Today Sports

Either way, assuming some fan capacity is allowed in the Top Ten games in 2021, it will be a very hostile environment for the Hoosiers at Beaver Stadium.

Both teams will likely be in the top 25 on October 2, and Indiana has never beaten Penn State on the road, so there will be a lot of build-up and anticipation for this rematch.

3.) in Iowa, September 4

You could argue that this game is potentially at the top of the list. These two teams haven’t played since 2018, but there will be many storylines leading up to this one.

First and foremost, it is the first game of the season. There is always a great level of excitement and anticipation when teams take to the pitch for the first time, and these two teams will likely be in the top 25 in the run-up to this season.

Then there’s Gary Barta, the Iowa athletic director who serves as the committee chair for the University Football Playoffs. Despite Indiana’s 6-1 conference record and top 10 ranking on the Associated Press, the Hoosiers did not make the New Years Six Bowls. Many were annoyed that Barta was no more defending Indiana, given that the Hoosiers represented the conference to which he was a member of the Army.

When Tom Allen was asked what he would say to Barta after Indiana was given the Outback Bowl, Allen said, “This is not the right time.”

Even as Indiana basketball beat Iowa twice this season, fans on social media said, “That’s for you, Gary Barta.” So, Hoosier loyalists will be excited for this one, and for those who know how Allen rolled over, Indiana will walk up to Kinnick Stadium with a chip on his shoulder.

A general view of the largely empty Kinnick Stadium during the fourth quarter between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Wisconsin Badgers.

Jeffrey Becker / USA TODAY Sports

2.) vs. Cincinnati, September 18

Who would have thought Indiana football would have a non-conference game that could potentially become one of the best games of the season?

Just like Indiana, Cincinnati has a historic season in 2020. The Bearcats won 9-1 that season and made a strong push to be considered in the University Football Playoffs. They finally came briefly to Georgia at the Peach Bowl.

But with one of the best coaches in college football at Luke Fickell and quarterback Desmond Ridder announcing his intention to return, the Bearcats should have another solid team in 2021.

Cincinnati Bearcats midfielder Desmond Ridder (9) throws in the fourth quarter during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against the Georgia Bulldogs, Friday, January 1, 2021, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Kareem Elgazzar / USA TODAY Sports

These two teams will need to be in the top 25 at the time they meet, and there is a chance that they could both be in the top 10 as well in just three weeks into the season.

Indiana has its home opener against Idaho on September 11, but this Cincinnati game is only a week later. So once again, if fans are allowed this season, this game could be the first time Hoosier fans have packed a rock and created an energetic environment at Memorial Stadium.

1.) vs. Ohio State, October 23

It’s hard not to include Ohio State as the top game for this upcoming season. Minus Alabama at the National Championships, Indiana played the closest Ohio State in 2020, losing only to the Buckeyes 42-35 in Columbus.

When you think of the dense crowds for the Cincinnati game, imagine what it would be like when the State of Ohio came to Bloomington on October 23. This created a flashback to a game between the two in 2017, where Memorial Stadium was sold out.

View of the Ohio State Buckeyes as they stand sidelines against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium.

Aaron Doster / USA TODAY Sports

There won’t be Justin Fields for Ohio State as he heads to the NFL, but the Buckeyes retained a large number of their star players from last season. With Ryan Day at the helm and the recruit the program can get, there was never any real concern that OSU would be experiencing a downturn.

They are the team to beat in the Top Ten, and in their pursuit of the Top Ten Championship in Indiana, the Hoosiers will have to get past the Buckeyes. Some fans will underestimate the Buckeyes too after the Top Ten changed the six-game minimum rule last season to allow OSU to play in the conference title game over Indiana.

Plus all that, as well as coming close to losing to last season, Indiana will be very confident and excited to play Ohio State in 2021.

Who said Gameday College won’t be in Bloomington next season?

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Games

Time Set Tips for Indiana Basketball Game With Minnesota, Michigan State Next Week | Instant News

February 13, 2021 NewsDesk

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana will go home for two straight matches at Assembly Hall next week after its game at No. 4 Ohio State this Saturday.

On Wednesday, February 17, the Hoosiers will host Minnesota at 9 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network.

Indiana has gotten its fair share of late tips the past few weeks, and the battle with Gophers will be no different. This will be the first and only meeting between Indiana and Minnesota this season.

The Gophers are only one game behind the Hoosiers in the conference standings as well. Minnesota will play in Maryland before coming to Assembly Hall.

Then, the Hoosiers will face Michigan State on Saturday, February 20 at noon ET on ESPN. This will also be the first meeting between the Hoosiers and the Spartans this season.

Indiana and Michigan State had games postponed earlier this season due to COVID-19 issues in the MSU program. That game was supposed to be in East Lansing, and as of now, there has been no word from the Top Ten about whether it will be rescheduled before the season’s end.

The Spartans have found their footing a bit, winning two straight games over Nebraska and Penn State. Michigan State will play Iowa and Purdue before coming to Assembly Hall.

Here’s the complete Indiana timetable, including links to each game’s story and Tom Brew’s column during the season. CLICK HERE

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Games

Time Set Tips for Indiana Match With Northwestern, Ohio State Next Week | Instant News

February 6, 2021 NewsDesk

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana is gearing up for two games next week, and gearing up for one more late weeknight and early weekend games.

The Hoosiers travel to Evanston to pick up Northwestern on Wednesday, with a 9pm ET tip scheduled. Indiana plays the 9pm ET game with Illinois on Tuesday, and after overtime, the game doesn’t finish until nearly midnight. Wednesday night’s matches are on the Big Ten Network.

The second game next week is at Ohio State, and it will end at noon ET on Saturday in Columbus. It’s trend-following too, as Indiana also plays Iowa on Sundays at Noon ET.

Indiana and Northwestern have played once this season, with the Wildcats winning their Top Ten opener in Bloomington on December 23. The Wildcats won their first three league games, but have lost eight in a row since. You can do a little searching early on Saturdays, because the Wildcat is playing at 4:30 pm ET on Purdue.

Indiana and Ohio State haven’t played this season, and this is their only regular season meeting. The Buckeyes have been hot lately, winning seven of their last eight games. That includes four road wins – all from the top 15 teams. The most recent win was Thursday night in Iowa, when they raced through with an 89-85 win and overcame a double-digit deficit.

Here’s the complete Indiana timetable, including links to each game’s story and Tom Brew’s column during the season. CLICK HERE

A related story about Indiana basketball

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Games

Come on Dosunmu Said He Played ‘Mind Games’ with Indiana at the Last Encounter | Instant News

February 2, 2021 NewsDesk

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – In Indiana’s first game against Illinois at the Champaign this season, the Hoosiers hold a five-point lead with 9:19 remaining. Since then, Ayo Dosunmu’s show has become a show.

Dosunmu scored 18 points in that final 9:19 am to give Illini a 69-60 win over the Hoosiers. How can he take over the game so easily? Mind games are the answer.

Dosunmu lulled Indiana to sleep on the ball screen, watching how they played it, and after playing the “right game” a few times, Dosunmu noticed that Indiana was satisfied with his defense, so he started to get aggressive and take over.

Below is a complete excerpt of how Dosunmu described his “mind game” against the Hoosiers:

“It’s just instinct. It’s just a feeling for the game. I play mind games with them. All my ball screens. They’re a little tough … I make the right game like six, seven times in a row so their higher-ups start getting lazy, started complacency. So when I came out they expected me to keep playing the right game, keep taking corners …

Dosunmu continued, “Just playing a mind game with them. At 9, 10 minutes, I know that they are thinking, ‘OK when let’s come to this ball screen, he’s going to take a corner’ and then I saw Trayce Jackson-Davis come and go right away. That’s when I can get in there and release the float. I got another layup and got some easy transitions of the threes. Basically played mind games with them. I watched a lot of movies. Lots of movies about them. I know when the game gets longer. , the duration of the game increases, their tendency to be lazy so I just want to attack that. Knowing the scout reports. “

The Hoosiers and Illini will meet for the second time this season on Tuesday evening at Assembly Hall. Illinois, now the No. 12 team in the country, came off a big home win against No. 8 Iowa.

Indiana, on the other hand, has been out for nine days, and last time, the Hoosiers lost at home to Rutgers.

In a week in which Indiana hosts Illinois and Iowa, it is paramount that the Hoosiers claim at least one win. Against Illinois, it started and stopped with Dosunmu.

“To prepare to play against Illinois, you have to be smart,” head coach Archie Miller said Monday. “Come on is a man who can really hit you in various ways. There is no single way to hone it. He’s great at transition. He shoots the ball really well in transition. On midfield, with his size, athleticism and talent, he could hit the basket when he wanted to. “

What Dosunmu was able to do at the stretch against Indiana on December 26th was something Miller noticed, calling him a “good defensive reader.”

“He knows how the team plays him and their distance is one he knows exactly where to read to make his outlets and passes,” said Miller. “He’s hard to bear.”

In order for Indiana not to let him take over like he did last time, the Hoosiers will need everyone to act defensively. One player will not be assigned to stop the multi-dimensional Dosunmu.

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An uncertain college football season ends in a predictable way: the Alabama title | Soccer | Instant News

January 12, 2021 NewsDesk

Only about 15,000 fans were at Hard Rock Stadium, with a capacity of 65,326, to see the final extraordinary performance of Smith’s college career.

The Heisman Trophy winner had a catch for 12 catches for 215 yards and three goals, all in the first half as Crimson Tide raced to take a 35-17 lead.

Using a series of moves and misdirection, offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian sent the Ohio State chief in circles trying to track down Smith.

Sometimes it’s simpler than that. On Smith’s third touchdown, he lined up the slot closest to the line of three receivers on the left. Smith cut quickly into midfield and was suddenly leveled by a midfielder, who he left in the dust to score 42 yards with 41 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Smith, who finished his first season catching a 2017 national championship-winning touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa, ended his Alabama career as a leading career recipient in Southeast Conference history. He was an offensive player on Monday night’s match.

As for Sarkisian, he is on his way to Texas as head coach. Longhorns fans are sure to love what they see from their new playcall. If only he could bring Smith and fellow Heisman competitors to Austin.

Jones, who finished third in the Heisman vote, was 36 for 45 for a CFP championship record 464 yards and five goals, operating behind a line that made him rarely feel rushed. Harris has 158 yards of scrimmage on 29 touches, scoring three times to give him a SEC record 30 goals this season.

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