IOWA CITY, Iowa — Indiana beat Iowa by a final score of 20-15 on Saturday afternoon at Kinnick Stadium.
Below are three quick reasons why the Hoosiers won, along with highlights and final stats. For Curt Cignetti postgame, GO HERE.
Indiana (5-0) is off next week and then will travel to Oregon.
Stay tuned for more coverage of the game from The Daily Hoosier.
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THREE QUICK REASONS WHY INDIANA
1. Clutch 4th quarter drive. Fernando Mendoza threw his first interception of the season in the fourth quarter. But he got another chance with the game tied and 2:01 left. He led the Hoosiers on a 5 play, 76 yard drive in just 33 seconds, capped off by a 49-yard Elijah Sarratt touchdown reception. Iowa went to zero coverage, and once Sarratt broke a tackle, he run free down the middle of the field and through Iowa hearts. Mendoza was under pressure the entire game and completed 13 of 23 passes for 233 yards with two touchdowns and the interception. Sarratt caught six passes for 132 yards and the score. He had 92 yards after catch.
2. Defense generates takeaways, gets stops. Indiana’s defense got off to a fast start, with an interception on Iowa’s second play. That gave the offense a short field and they scored moments later to take a 7-0 lead. The Hoosiers also got an interception in the fourth quarter to end an Iowa drive in IU territory. The Hoosiers held Iowa to 284 yards and just 13 points. Linebacker Isaiah Jones led the way with eight tackles. Safeties Louis Moore and Amare Ferrell produced the interceptions. The Hoosiers were shorthanded, as All-American D’Angelo Ponds missed the game with an injury.
3. Radicic is clutch. In a game where every point mattered, Indiana kicker Nico Radicic made 46 and 44-yard field goals. He added both extra points. He has now made 16 of 17 field goals for his career, along with all 103 extra point kicks. Indiana hasn’t relied much on field goals during the Curt Cignetti’s tenure as head coach, but Radicic proved he could be relied on in a tight game. Iowa’s kicker, on the other hand, missed a late fourth-quarter field goal that gave the Hoosiers the ball for their game-winning drive.
HIGHLIGHTS
FINAL STATS
For complete coverage of IU football, GO HERE.
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