In what was the most anticipated game in the history of Memorial Stadium, Indiana fans went home disappointed after the Hoosiers suffered a 19-15 loss to Ohio State on Saturday afternoon. Indiana delivered an uncharacteristically un-Indiana-like performance, as missed opportunities, turnovers, costly penalties, and stalled drives ultimately doomed the Hoosiers.
The good news is that Indiana is still a playoff contender, and even a National Championship contender. This loss doesn't de-rail the season. However, there are still several alarming takeaways from Indiana's deflating performance. Here are three key reasons why the Hoosiers fell short against the Buckeyes.
1. The running game couldn't get going at all
There's no denying that the Hoosiers are at their best when the running game is clicking. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case against the Buckeyes. Ohio State's run defense was stingy all game long, and made every yard hard to come by. In total, Indiana managed just 73 rushing yards on 29 carries, which evened out to a lowly 2.5 yards per rush. Furthermore, Indiana's longest run of the game was 8 yards by Josh Hoover. That isn't going to cut it.
Indiana's lack of a consistent running game put more pressure on Hoover. He attempted a season-high 40 passes, completing just 20 of them. That is not the style of complimentary football that the Hoosiers want to play. The Indiana running game has now struggled mightily in back-to-back weeks, and things won't get any easier going up against Michigan's elite defense next week.
2. The explosive pass plays weren't there
Hoover has shown great chemistry with both Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh this season. The IU passing game relies heavily on big plays, but they just weren't there on Saturday afternoon. Becker and Marsh still posted decent stat lines, as Becker had 9 catches for 165 yards and Marsh brought in 3 catches for 57 yards and a touchdown. However, the vertical passing game couldn't find a consistent groove to keep pushing the ball down the field.
Indiana had just one passing play of more than 20 yards, which hasn't been the norm so far this season. Hoover wasn't accurate on deep balls down the field, which led to missed opportunities and stalled drives throughout the game. Looking to bounce back next week in Ann Arbor, it's imperative that the Hoosiers find more explosive passing plays through the air next week.
3. Special teams blunders
In closely-contested games between heavyweight opponents, special teams always tend to have an impact on the outcome. Nico Radicic's two missed field goals loomed large in this one. The Hoosier placekicker hit the upright and missed from 32 yards in the 2nd quarter and came up short from 55 yards in the 3rd quarter.
In a four-point loss, those six points being left off the scoreboard put the Hoosiers in a tough spot. Radicic missed two games earlier this season with a back injury, and just hasn't looked like himself since. He's now missed three field goals in seven games after missing just one all of last season. He's also missed an extra point this season after going a perfect 87-for-87 last year. If Indiana is going to compete for another title, special teams will play a key role. Radicic has proven he can be a reliable kicker in the biggest moments, and hopefully he is able to get back on track.
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