BLOOMINGTON, IN -
(9-13-2003) — It was the first time since 1925 that both Indiana and
Indiana State put their teams on the same gridiron and while ISU was able to
hold their own against their instate and BIG 10 Conference foe for some of the
game, the Indiana offense and special teams proved too mighty for the visiting
Sycamores. ISU (1-2) attempted to hold Indiana (1-2) down, but crucial errors
continue to haunt ISU as they took a 33-3 loss to the Hoosiers in the first
night game at Memorial Stadium in almost four seasons.ISU’s lone score of the evening came on a 36-yard field goal late in the first quarter that edged the Sycamores back to within six points at 9-3.
The scoring opened when a Sycamore punt snap went through the back of the endzone to give the Hoosiers an early 2-0 lead. After a Pat Jordan free kick, Indiana’s Lance Bennett returned the ball 70 yards down to the ISU 20. From their it took five plays to cover the 20 yards when IU’s Chris Taylor went over the top for a 9-0 lead.
IU responded to the Sycamore field goal with time-consuming 11-play drive of their own that covered 71 yards, giving the Hoosiers a 16-3 lead over ISU when BenJarvus Green-Ellis scored from a yard out.
Green-Ellis ran for a career-high 107 yards and two touchdowns, and Taylor added 90 yards and a TD as the Sycamores struggled to find an answer to the Hoosiers ground attack throughout the night.
Green-Ellis and Taylor each carried 20 times, while filling for injured starter Brian Lewis, and Indiana finished with 201 yards rushing. The Hoosiers had 195 yards total against Connecticut and Washington.
After falling behind 23-3 heading into the half, the Sycamores came out and started to move the ball down the field as recent transfer Thomas Plummer received his first game action as a Sycamore and promptly helped move the ball down the Hoosier one-yard line. On the final play of the drive, Plummer fumbled while trying to reach for the endzone and the Hoosiers were able to recover to stop the scoring threat.
ISU held until the Hoosiers’ Bryan Roberston connected on a 21-yard field goal with 2:26 left in the third quarter to push the lead to 26-3. The final score of the game came on a Green-Ellis 11-yard rush that capped an eight-play, 58-yard drive with 3:52 left to put the score out of reach at 33-3.
The Sycamores were led by Jake Shields, who carried 15 times for 58 yards, and Jake Schiff, who completed 16 of 22 passes for 179 yards.