Indiana beat Rutgers by a final score of 47-15 on Saturday night at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey.
Below are three quick reasons why the Hoosiers won, along with highlights and final stats.
Indiana (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) faces its toughest test to date next week in a road game at Nebraska.
For Curt Cignetti postgame, GO HERE.
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Three quick reasons why Indiana beat Rutgers
1. Solid defensive outing: After two straight wins with imperfect performances, IU unleashed on the Scarlet Knights in Piscataway. Rutgers never had a foothold on this game, as the Hoosiers controlled every facet of the matchup. Bryant Haines’ defense had plenty to do with that. Rutgers crossed midfield only three times, and finished with 253 total yards. Indiana recorded eight tackles for loss with four sacks — two from Stephen Daley. The Scarlet Knights found some offensive momentum in the second half, but a dominant first half for IU’s defense — Rutgers picked up only 118 yards and four first downs — left far too big a hole to climb out of.
2. Hoover takes a step forward: Josh Hoover had ups and downs through his first four games with Indiana. He’d made some plays and shown potential, but he also displayed some inconsistency. But he turned in his best performance as a Hoosier on Saturday, making big-time throws to all three levels. Hoover completed 20 of his 257 pass attempts for 251 yards with four touchdowns. Both Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh topped 100 receiving yards, and each scored a touchdown.
3. A backfield bonanza: Indiana’s running game may have been even more effective than the passing attack. Rutgers provided very little resistance to most of IU’s rush attempts, and running backs Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr. took advantage. Richard ran for a career-high 204 yards on 13 carries with a touchdown — the second straight game for Indiana with a 200-yard rusher. Beebe added 122 yards on 18 attempts with a touchdown. IU’s offense is at its best when the running game is rolling, and that was the case on Saturday.
HIGHLIGHTS
FINAL STATS
