Bloomington, Ind. – The Hoosiers proved to be too much for Eastern Illinois in their first meeting between programs by winning 52-0. Michael Penix Jr. went 14 for 20 with 197 yards and Peyton Ramsey played for part of the second half, who went for 13 for 14 with 226 yards in the Memorial Stadium opener.
Indiana started with three quick drives that were well-executed, leading to three touchdowns with one by air and two by ground in the first quarter. The play selection was diverse and featured some unique formations likely developed by the new offensive coordinator, DeBoer. After pulling to a quick lead, the Hoosiers started to incorporate second- and third-string personnel to further develop their team.
Peyton Ramsey saw action first in two-minute drill in the first half, completing one pass for 64 yards to Ronnie Walker Jr. for a touchdown to put the Hoosiers up 35-0 after the half. He continued to lead the Hoosiers in the second half with a perfect drive capped by a 43 yard pass to a wide open Donavan Hale. Ramsey went perfect 7-7 for 167 yards until his first incompletion which was nearly picked off for a defensive touchdown.
Freshman Jack Tuttle also saw his first action of the season in the beginning of the fourth quarter after the Hoosiers amassed a 49-0 lead. He nearly had a touchdown himself but unable to connect on a dropped pass by David Ellis.
Defensively, the Hoosiers created havoc on the Panthers only allowing 52 yards in the first half and 64 yards in the secondd half. Overall, the defense showed great improvement with their execution than against Ball State last week. Hoosier defensive coordinator, Wommack, put together a excellent game plan to the outmatched Panthers.
One area of concern is the lack of turnover production by the defense despite some close calls. In fact, the Hoosiers have had a takeaway in the last 19 games and an interception in the last 11 games which was a national best.
Overall, the Hoosiers played with near perfect execution in their last true tune-up match of the season. Tom Allen treated the entire game as a learning opportunity for all players on his team.
Indiana is now 2-0 on the season after a victory over Ball State and now, Eastern Illinois. The Hoosiers will face a much tougher test next weekend when they face the Buckeyes at home to open Big Ten conference play.
Quick Key Stats
- Longest Play by Eastern Illinois: 14 yards (Indiana had 8 players meet or exceed 14 yards)
- Indiana’s largest margin of victory at Memorial Stadium was 51 in a 58-7 win against Missouri on September 22, 1990 before today.
Up Next
Indiana will stay at home for the next week to face No. 5 Ohio State at 12:00 PM EST on FOX. Ohio State won in impressive fashion with an 42-0 win over Cincinnati.
