Indiana Hoosier's Open With Big Win

USPA NEWS - Indiana Hoosier hosting the Fighting Illini! Illinois already coming in with 1 win under its belt from the week before. They handled Wyoming fairly easy with a 38-6 win. Illinois was expecting to leave Bloomington with a 2-0 record but the Hoosier had other plans for them today!

Indiana Hoosier's Football home opener came with prefect the prefect day! Great weather, full stadium, and BIG 10 opener with rival Illinois Fighting Illini! Illinois, already with a victory in the win column, beating Wyoming the week before. Indiana was staring with some new faces in skilled positions, as well as seasoned players on both sides of the ball. Prediction were close going into the game with a 1 point spread favor to the Hoosiers. Illinois seemed to have a better balance offense as there day ended with 451 total yards, with 235 in the air and 218 on the ground. #3 QB Tommy DeVito, Hoosier had their hands full throwing to stop running back #2 Chase Brown, 5'11" 205lb. JR who ended the day with 199 yards on 36 carries. Unfortunately for Brown, he had a fumble at a critical point to the game. The Hoosier turned that into a 3 point field goal giving them the lead 20-17. Illinois top receivers were #1 Isaiah Willams, 5' 10" 180lb., So. with 9 catches for 112 yards & 1 TD, with #7 Brian Hightower 6'3" 215, Jr. for 43 yards. The Hoosiers offense and defense would show its strengths as well as those things they will need to improve on. Poor tackling seem to haunt them at holding 3rd down conversions successfully. Early 4th quarter Hoosiers make a great 4 down stand to stop and leave Illinois scoreless, coming away denied convincingly with a greatest defensive stand of the game. The Hoosier offense seem to struggle to find that momentum and rhythm throughout most of the game. But the last 2:30 of the game QB #9 Connor Bazelak, 6'#' 224 lb Jr(R) and his total offensive unit looked like something that had been plugged into a super charger machine. As they moved the ball down the field like an unstoppable force, scoring a touched down and a successful extra point, now leading 23-20, leaving only 23 seconds left in the game. Hoosier defense held them off to come away victorious. #9 QB was 28/52 for 330 yards 1 TD & 1 INT, RB #2 Shaun 5'7" 186lb, Sr, 28yds rushing. The Jr. #6 Cam Camper 6'2" 202 had 152 yards on 11 catch average 14.2 yds and #7 D.J. Matthews Jr. had 109 on 7 catch & 1 TD.