Gophers vs. Indiana 7 p.m. Friday, TCF Bank Stadium (FS1, 100.3-FM)
A look at the Hoosiers
Much like the Gophers, Indiana has found the going tough in Big Ten play. The Hoosiers (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten) went 3-0 in nonconference play but are 0-4 against Big Ten teams not named Rutgers. They've hung with Ohio State and Penn State, only to see those teams pull away in the second half. Coach Tom Allen was 5-7 in his Hoosiers debut last year and needs two more wins this season for bowl eligibility. To do so, Indiana likely will have to beat the Gophers and Maryland, because its other two remaining opponents are Michigan and Purdue.
Who to watch: Peyton Ramsey, QB
The Hoosiers used a rotation of Ramsey, a sophomore, and Michael Penix Jr., a true freshman, in their 33-28 loss at home to Penn State on Saturday. But Penix suffered a knee injury that will end his season, leaving the job to Ramsey, in photo at right. Ramsey has completed 68.5 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,860 yards and 13 touchdowns with eight interceptions, and he has rushed for 316 yards and three TDs. "Their quarterback is really accurate,'' Gophers coach P.J. Fleck said., referring to Ramsey. "He's a runner. He's a thrower. He's a dynamic player on the offensive side of the ball.''
From the coach: Tom Allen
Against Penn State, the Hoosiers took a 21-20 lead late in the third quarter. But they immediately surrendered a 94-yard kickoff return, and quarterback Trace McSorley scored on a 5-yard run on the next play to put the Nittany Lions ahead for good. Indiana lost a fumble at its 32, and Penn State cashed that in for a TD to pull away. Indiana cut the lead to 33-28 with 49 seconds left and recovered an onside kick. The Hoosiers reached the Penn State 44, but time ran out. "Just a gut-wrenching loss to our guys. Just so proud of how hard they played,'' Allen said. "I really challenged them with some things after the Iowa game and [was] really encouraged by the way they responded and how hard they played and how they prepared for a very, very good football team and did a lot of good things, and just really hated to see us fall short there at the end.''
Randy Johnson
