For Allen and Hoosiers, Ohio State is personal
A season ago, Indiana was sitting at 2-0 and expectations were high for the Hoosiers heading into a week three meeting with Ohio State.
Prior to the Ohio State meeting, head coach Tom Allen pulled his team together, delivering a fiery pregame speech where he referenced boxer Buster Douglas, who overcame the odds to knock out Mike Tyson and claim the heavyweight championship belt.
Several times, Allen tells his team that Douglas was knocked down but kept getting up and that the Hoosiers would have to adopt that same mindset against the Buckeyes, who came into Bloomington as the third ranked team in the country.
On that Saturday, the Hoosiers were knocked down and knocked out, as Ohio State rolled to a 51-10 victory. The Buckeyes raced out to a quick 7-3 lead and turned that into a 30-10 halftime lead and added 21 more in the third quarter.
The win was the 24th straight against Indiana for Ohio State, and the 41-point margin was the largest in the series since 2006 and the most lopsided road win for Ohio State in a series that dates back to 1901. 24
In the game, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields finished 14-of-29 for 199 yards and added a three yard touchdown run.
The Indiana offense and defense struggled that afternoon against Ohio State.
On offense, the Hoosiers ran 31 times for 42 yards, the offensive line allowed five sacks and Peyton Ramsey was picked off for a 96 yard interception touchdown by Damon Arnette Jr. Defensively, Indiana was torched for 528 yards, of which 314 came on the ground, including a 40-yard touchdown run by Master Teague III, who went for 106 total yards.
After the game, Allen was visibly upset with his team's performance in the post game media session.
"Rough day for the Hoosiers. Very disappointed with how we performed," Allen said. "But I stand before you, take responsibility for how our team takes the field and plays each and every week, and it wasn't good enough."
After the loss to the Buckeyes, Indiana would go on to pick up five wins out of its next six games and claimed two of the three wins to end the season by a touchdown or less.
However, one has to ask, will Indiana be up for the challenge, especially considering they are a 21-point underdog in the eyes of bettors and Vegas.
As has been the case all season, Allen notes his players and coaching staff have had earmuffs and blinders on, ignoring what those outside the program are saying or writing, but he did make it a point to say the point spread, as well as Ohio State's dominance would be discussed during the week.
"As noise grows louder, we need to stay focused on what got us here. We aren't where we need to be in all three areas," said Allen, who added the fact that his team is a 21-point underdog will be addressed. "You shouldn't need motivation to play the Ohio State Buckeyes. There is a reason why they are where they are, defending Big Ten champions. But it is a great opportunity for our program. We have worked really hard to get this point and we will have to play our very best football Saturday in Columbus. That is just people's opinions about where their football program is and where our program is. It really means nothing. It is what it is. We will discuss things and use them to our advantage where appropriate. This team has been used to being told it doesn't measure up," Allen said.
For Allen, Ohio State is where he is trying to get Indiana -- a program that contends for and wins Big Ten championships and is in the national playoff scene year in and year out.
It is a vision he has sold players and coaches on.
“As you sit down and map out what you believe we can do as a program and tell recruits and coaches and their parents the vision you have for Indiana University football and where we can be, this is part of it,” Allen said. "Having an opportunity to play in tremendous venues, high-level games, championships on the line and the opportunity to compete for the Big Ten championship. That’s what this is all about.
“Even thought others haven’t shared in the belief we can do that here, that hasn’t wavered for me. ... When we get those opportunities, we have to seize them, and that’s what this is about.”
And, it is one more opportunity to quiet the detractors and naysayers.
“I love this place. I love these kids. We’re gonna fight, man. I don’t care what anyone says about this stinking game. We’re going to compete and we’re going to fight. Good-Lord willing, we’re going to find a way to keep proving everybody wrong.“ Allen said.
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