Indiana Football Loses 24-21 In Final Seconds, Costly Secondary Lapses Hinder The Hoosiers

Indiana led 21-17 with four minutes to play but gave up a last minute touchdown to Michigan State and lost after the Hoosiers' last-second field goal sailed wide right. Indiana may not have given up as many yards in the air this week, but lapses in the secondary contributed to Spartan touchdowns.

Matthew Byrne | Nov 18, 2023

Indiana Football Loses 24-21 In Final Seconds, Costly Secondary Lapses Hinder The Hoosiers /

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana gave up a late-fourth quarter lead Saturday and lost to Michigan State 24-21, missing a last-second 48-yard field goal and giving up the Old Brass Spittoon trophy to the Spartans.

“Obviously, our guys had a chance to go win the game defensively, didn't do it,” Indiana head coach Tom Allen said after another disappointing loss. “It’s frustrating, without a doubt. Had a lot of young guys out there playing hard and they just didn't finish. They didn’t finish.”

Indiana (3-8, 1-7) outgained Michigan State 402-317 in total yards and 210-72 on the ground Saturday in Memorial Stadium. Late in the fourth quarter, the Hoosiers passed only once in their 11-play, 75-yard, touchdown drive to go up 21-17 — their first lead. Trent Howland and Josh Henderson ran 10 times in the drive, picking up 67 of the yards.

Indiana’s secondary allowed 245 yards in the air to Michigan State, an improvement over the 507 passing yards allowed in last week's loss at Illinois. However, the Spartans capitalized on missed tackles by Indiana’s secondary to score three of their touchdowns.

On Michigan State’s opening drive, tight end Maliq Carr caught the 17-yard touchdown pass in double-coverage. Receiver Montorie Foster made an outstanding one-handed snag in the Spartans’ final drive of the first half, spun through Indiana’s double-coverage, and trotted into the end zone to put Michigan State up 14-7. Indiana linebacker Aaron Casey whiffed on the tackle, and defensive back Phillip Dunham tried to strip the ball rather than make the tackle.

In the fourth quarter, Michigan State (4-7, 2-6) trailed 21-17 with four minutes left. On fourth down and 3, Carr caught an 18-yard pass to save the drive at Michigan State’s own 32-yard-line. Four plays later, the 6-foot-6 260-pound tight end trucked through a hit at the Indiana 15-yard-line, and broke two more tackles to score. The 36-yard touchdown pass was Michigan State’s biggest play when it mattered most.

Carr had 100 yards and two touchdowns, the best receiving performance for the Spartans.

“It’s pretty frustrating,” Casey said. “Just knowing that we were taken all the way down to the fourth quarter, like end of the game, the last few minutes, and just not completing it, and putting it all together at the end … we just have to execute in those critical situations.”

Casey was one of the veterans to go through Senior Day prior to kickoff before a small crowd at the last home game of the season.

Indiana had chances to win even after giving up the last Michigan State touchdown. The Hoosiers marched down the field within 60 seconds left and took a shot at the end zone with receiver E.J Williams from 27 yards out with 22 seconds remaining. Pass interference wasn’t flagged on the incomplete floater.

Allen initially opted to try a tying field goal, but then quarterback Brendan Sorsby targeted Williams once more and was called for intentional grounding after he threw long and Williams cut the route short. The penalty pushed the Hoosiers back, and kicker Chris Freeman's 48-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right.

“Wasn't a fan of it, but I mean, it's just football,” Sorsby said of the intentional grounding call. “It is what it is. It’s out of our control, whatever, move on. E.J fell out, I threw it deep, it was a choice route. And that’s that.”

After a slow start, Sorsby finished 19-for-34 for 192 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed 12 times for 65 yards. Indiana's ground game showed signs of life, with Howland rushing for 77 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries and Henderson rushing for 74 yards on 13 carries.

Indiana will play at Purdue next Saturday to try to retrieve the Old Oaken Bucket in the final game of a disappointing season.

“I got this team’s back, period,” Allen said. “They know it. We will fight to the finish. I promise you that.”

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