Not in the Face!
Opponent Wisconsin Badgers 6-0 Ranked #4 in AP Poll. 
Series History Wisconsin leads 37-18-2
Last IU win
Otherwise known as the only high point in Gerry Dinardo’s coaching stint. The Hoosiers rode the golden arm of Gibran Hamden(24-36, 310 yards) and the powerful legs of Brian Lewis(128 total yards) and held off the Badgers 32-29.
When I say the lone high point under Dinardo, it’s a bit disingenuous. He also beat Illinois in 2004 and Minnesota in 2005. So there were three high points.
Other recent games of significance
Hmmm, well, I can’t really think of another game that stands out as noteworthy. Aside from the 83-20 squeaker that Wisconsin lucked its way into last year. What’s really frightening is that unlike previous editions, this Wisconsin team has an explosive offense. IU Football has lost a lot of games over the years. They’ve lost by a little and they’ve lost by a lot, but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a game slip from reasonably close to complete ass kicking so quickly.
Shocking note to remember from the Madison Massacre.
It was actually tied 5 minutes into the 2nd quarter. Then Montee Bell scored from one yard out to give the Badgers a 17-10 lead. Then the Badgers scored 5 more touchdowns in less than 15 minutes of game time to push the lead to 52-10. Mitch Ewald kicked a field goal to draw the Hoosiers within 39. (Thank God, that was getting a little bit embarrassing.) And the Badgers answered with a 31-7 run to close out the game.
Chasing A Millstone
If the fine folks at Sports-Reference.com are to be believed, the Hoosiers record through 113 years stands at 424-599-38. So with a loss to Wisconsin, the Hoosiers will be in rare company at 600 losses. Among Big Ten universities, only Northwestern(475-621-40) has lost more. Don’t lose heart though. If the Hoosiers beat Wisconsin and run the table this year, and next year, and the 11 seasons after that, they will head into the 2024 season ready to move above .500.
Stat to ponder while you think of how you’re going to celebrate the in 2023 after the Hoosiers win their 10th consecutive tational title
63 points. That’s of course the margin of defeat to Wisconsin last year. Going back to last year’s game against Iowa, the Hoosiers have lost 7 games to teams not from Wisconsin. Those 7 losses were by a combined 62 points. So even for a team that frequently gets blown out, last year’s annihilation was 7 games worth of whoop ass.
At least basketball starts soon. That’s bound to be good news one of these years.
Scouting future opponents
Iowa hosts Northwestern
Northwestern coincidentally visits Iowa
Ohio State travels to Illinois
Gratuitous Cheap Shot Directed at Jack Trudeau
Well after Indiana got it’s ass handed to it by Trudeau’s Illini, I must turn to a philosopher who I’ve found enlightens most in times of trouble. As always, his words give me power.
“It takes a big man to admit he’s wrong. I am not a big man.”
That's strange. That's how I feel watching IU football too.
-Irwin Fletcher.
However, even though we won’t be continuing the weekly Jack Trudeau cheap shots, we still have our bets to pay. After hours of deliberation, the judges have concluded that Matt wins the free t-shirt and he’ll get the last word in this week’s column.
Jack shouldn’t mind playing 2nd fiddle on his radio show. He’s not even among the top 3 on the Best Trudeau list (Pierre Trudeau, Canadian Prime Minister; Garry Trudeau author of Doonesbury; hell, even Miss Montana 2007 Stephanie Trudeau has more redeeming qualities).
October 15th, 2011 on 2:09 pm
I demand a recount.