What Went Right and What Went Wrong in Indiana's 35-22 Win over Idaho
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana football is off to a 2-0 start to the 2022 season – already matching its win total from last year – but coach Tom Allen didn't see it as much more than a win.
Indiana was held scoreless in the first half, but a 23-point third quarter powered the Hoosiers to a 35-22 win over Idaho.
"We sang the fight song and do what we do after a win," Allen said. "But this is not the standard we have to play be able to be where we want to be as a football team. We'll take the win, but we're going to take what comes along with poor play, which is accountability. That's on me."
Here's what went right and what went wrong for Indiana on Saturday night.
What went right
1. Connor Bazelak's third quarter
Indiana quarterback Connor Bazelak entered the halftime locker room trailing Idaho 10-0, but he didn't panic. The message to his teammates was to stay the course, and he came out in the third quarter with newfound accuracy.
Bazelak completed 10-of-12 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns in the third quarter alone. He hit tight end AJ Barner across the middle for a 43-yard touchdown to give Indiana its first lead of the game, and his 26-yard touchdown connection to D.J. Matthews put the game out of Idaho's reach late in the third quarter.
“Obviously everyone wants to see 50 points in the first half, but being shut out in the first half forced us to come together," Bazelak said. "We faced adversity, and that’s a huge part of the game and will be valuable down the road.”
2. Shaun Shivers and Indiana's run game
Indiana defeated Illinois last week despite generating just 32 yards on 26 carries, but the rushing attack made a complete turn on Saturday night against Idaho. In total, Indiana gained 239 yards on 36 rushes – good for 6.6 yards per carry – and scored three touchdowns on the ground.
Shaun Shivers led the way with 155 yards, and he broke free midway through the fourth quarter for a 46-yard touchdown run. Josh Henderson overcame a first half fumble to gain 58 yards on seven carries, including an 8-yard touchdown run.
Shivers said Saturday night was what he pictured Indiana's run game to look like this year.
"As backs, we were making guys miss," Shivers said. "And we were doing that most of the game.”
3. Dasan McCullough's versatility
In just his second college football game, Dasan McCullough was a standout for the Indiana defense on Saturday night. He joined forces with linebacker Aaron Casey to sack Idaho quarterback Gevani McCoy to force a third and long, which eventually led to a punt.
As Idaho threatened to score its second touchdown of the game midway through the second quarter, McCullough came around the edge for his second sack of the game to force an Idaho field goal. He finished the night with five total tackles, two sacks and a quarterback hurry.
"I can tell how [Dasan] has improved from fall camp to now," Casey said. "Just being able to know what he's doing, flying around and being fast and physical just off instincts."
What went wrong
1. Taking Idaho seriously
Tom Allen lost his voice during Wednesday and Thursday's practice, and he was noticeably hoarse on Saturday night after the game. In Week 1, Idaho nearly won at Washington State – who defeated No. 19 Wisconsin on Saturday – and Allen could tell the Vandals were a different team than last season.
Allen demanded that his team take Idaho seriously, but the Hoosiers sunk into 10-0 deficit at halftime. Allen was concerned with the confidence the first half gave Idaho to stick around, but Indiana refocused in the second half to come away with a win.
"I knew this [Idaho] team had talent and this team had some good players on it and is good enough to beat us if we didn't show up," Allen said.
2. Playing in the rain
Allen said Indiana did wet-ball drills throughout the week in preparation for Saturday's weather, but the Hoosiers struggled inside a rainy Memorial Stadium for the entire first half.
Bazelak started the game completing 6-of-17 pass attempts for 49 yards and an interception. Allen said Bazelak's interception was an overthrow that slipped out of his hand, but with a wide-open receiver, he said it's a throw Bazelak has to make.
“I don’t want to make an excuse about the weather, but the ball was definitely slick in the first half and that definitely plays a part in your confidence," Bazelak said.
Indiana gained 110 yards of total offense in the first half, but responded with 239 yards in the third quarter alone once the rain let up.
"The response was very encouraging," Allen said. "Just can't wait for halftime to start playing football."
3. Red zone execution
Following a three and out on the first offensive possession, Indiana took over with optimal field position at the Idaho 39-yard line. Bazelak hit Cam Camper on an 11-yard pass to break into the red zone, but it wasn't enough for a first down. Indiana kicker Charles Campbell missed a 32-yard field goal attempt to keep the game scoreless.
Campbell missed a 28-yard attempt on the following possession, but the Hoosiers were granted new life after Idaho was flagged for defensive holding. Indiana faced a first-and-goal situation at the 5-yard line, but three runs from Shivers were stopped short of the goal line for a turnover on downs. After two trips to the red zone, Indiana had zero points.
"Golly, we sure enjoy making it hard on ourselves," Allen said. "Could have been a whole lot different, but we didn't and you have to own what happened. That's on me. I was pretty stern with them in there."
Related stories on Indiana football:
- INDIANA WAKES UP TO DEFEAT IDAHO Indiana faced a 10-0 halftime deficit at home against Idaho, but the offense found a rhythm in the third quarter to secure a 35-22 win. “We just can’t wait until halftime to start playing football," Indiana coach Tom Allen said. CLICK HERE
- WHAT TOM ALLEN SAID: It wasn't pretty in the first half, but a win is a win. Hear what Indiana football coach Tom Allen said in the post game press conference about the Hoosiers' 35-22 win over Idaho. Read the transcript, or just watch the attached video of the full press conference. CLICK HERE
- PHOTO GALLERY: Although it was a rocky and rainy start, there are some great pictures to show for Indiana's 35-22 win over the Idaho Vandals. Take a look at more than 20 action shots including plenty of touchdown celebrations. CLICK HERE
