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Indiana's defense prevents disaster (ESPN)
Rittenberg credits IU's defense for preventing an embarrassing loss. -
Hoosiers need better run game (The Journal Gazette)
"The running game was a combination of things," IU coach Bill Lynch said Friday. "We had some pretty good performances up front but we didn’t have the consistency and that’s what killed the running game. You have one break down for minus-1 yard and we had a lot of that. I think as we go, our backs will get a better feel for things as we go." - Defense Saves the Day: Indiana Hangs On, Beats Eastern Kentucky 19-13 (First and Big Ten)
- Not pretty, but IU takes opener (The News-Sentinel)
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Grading the stadium experience (The Indianapolis Star)
Hutchens discussed the off-the-field changes, for good or bad. -
Friday Morning Quarterback (Under the Rock)
And around the Big Ten:
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Missouri 37, Illinois 9: this surprised me. It's becoming tougher to view the 2007 Illini season as anything but a fluke.
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Iowa 17, Northern Iowa 16. IU wasn't the only Big Ten school to struggle with a I-AA opponent.
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Michigan 31, Western Michigan 7. After a poor 2008 season, the Wolverines easily defeated IU's week two opponent. I'll take a closer look at this one as the week continues.
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Michigan State 44, Montana State 3: run of the mill victory over a I-AA opponent.
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Minnesota 23, Syracuse 20: The Gophers survived in overtime at the Carrier Dome.
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Northwestern 47, Towson 14: nice win for NU in front of a crowd that would make IU fans blush.
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Ohio State 31, Navy 27: the Buckeyes returned a two point conversion attempt that would have tied the game, but came very close to overtime against what should have been an overmatched team.
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Penn State 31, Akron 7. Penn State easily handled IU's week 3 opponent. Obviously I'll be taking a look at this one in more detail as well.
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Purdue 52, Toledo 31. Purdue pretty easily handled Toledo. This led Bob Kravitz to gush: "Once again, athletic director Morgan Burke has gotten it right with a coaching hire." Maybe Hope is the reincarnation of Woody Hayes and Bear Bryant with a dash of Mike Ditka's mustache, but might we want to see more than one game before making such a declaration. I wonder what Kravitz would have said after Joe Tiller's first game, a 14-point loss to...Toledo. Remember, Gannett, the owner of the Indianapolis Star, has been laying off tons of reporters and recently imposed a contract that reduces salaries 10 percent and rules out any pay raises before 2011. Despite all that, Gannett continues to pay anachronisitic opinion-dispensers like Kravitz way too much money for such inanity.
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Wisconsin 28, Northern Illinois 20. Yet another close opening day win for the conference.
The only future IU opponent that isn't a) a Big Ten school or b) a week 1 Big Ten opponent is Virginia, and the Cavaliers did not start the season well. Thanks to seven turnovers, UVa lost to William & Mary, a I-AA school, 26-14.