Those closest to Indiana quarterback Michael Penix say he has a short memory and is able to forget mistakes.
That may be true, but the redshirt sophomore has not forgotten about the one that got away.
As a starter, Penix is 8-1 coming into this Saturday’s noon kickoff at Michigan State.
The one?
The very team he and the 10th ranked Hoosiers will square off against this week.
With less than two minutes left, Indiana and Michigan State found themselves deadlocked at 31-31. That’s when disaster would set in for the Hoosiers, as the Spartans kicked a 21-yard field goal and then added a fumble recovery for a score on the final play of the game to pick up a 40-31 victory.
The loss erased an epic performance by Penix, who completed 20-straight passes and finished with 286 yards and three touchdowns through the air, while adding another with his feet.
Not bad for a player who didn’t practice as he was coming back from an injury.
Following the loss, Indiana head coach Tom Allen told the media it was hard to face his team in the locker room.
“Tough way to lose. Proud of our team, how our kids fought. It’s hard to face them in the locker room knowing how hard they played. Look them in the eyes, and there’s a lot of tears in there. And there should be,” Allen said.
For Penix, he told the media Monday afternoon, the Hoosiers were “so close” to earning the Old Brass Spittoon for the first time under Allen’s tenure.
“I just remember that we were so close. That’s what I said a lot last year. We’re just so close. We’re so close to beating these teams,” Penix said.
