BLOOMINGTON -- Indiana came out with their foot on the throttle from the get-go Friday night against FCS opponent Indiana State. The Hoosiers dominated the Sycamores all night long, winning 41-7 and improving to 1-1 on the season.
After winning the coin toss and electing to defer to the second half, the Indiana defense forced a quick three-and-out to begin the game.
Then, after a couple of quick connections in the passing game, Tayven Jackson handed the ball off to Jaylin Lucas who took it around the right side of the offensive line and into the end zone to open the scoring. The 25-yard run was the first Indiana touchdown of the season and capped off a four play, 73-yard drive that lasted just 80 seconds.
The next offensive drive was eerily similar for the Hoosiers. After moving the ball down the field through the air, Lucas took a handoff through the right side of the offensive line for his second 25-yard touchdown run of the first quarter.
Following a third consecutive three-and-out forced by the Indiana defense to start the game, the offense put seven more points on the board after Jackson found the end zone from 10 yards out on a designed quarterback draw.
The second quarter began with Indiana State methodically driving the ball down the field and into the red zone. The Hoosiers' defense held strong, forcing their only turnover of the night. Nic Toomer intercepted Indiana State quarterback Evan Oleas on fourth and eight from the Indiana 13-yard line on an ill-advised pass into triple coverage.
Brendan Sorsby took over at quarterback for Indiana following the Toomer interception. Sorsby promptly led the Indiana offense down the field before Lucas fumbled it inside Indiana State territory. Maddix Blackwell scooped up the loose ball and ran it 75 yards the other way for a touchdown, putting Indiana State on the board.
With just two minutes left in the first half, Sorsby once again led the offense down the field, completing passes to four different Hoosier receivers. However, the Hoosiers had to settle for a field goal after their drive stalled inside the Indiana State 15-yard line.
The Hoosiers took a 24-7 lead into the halftime intermission.
Both teams struggled to move the ball with any consistency coming out of the halftime break. However, that changed late in the third quarter when Wake Forest transfer Christian Turner found the end zone on the ground from one yard out, his first touchdown as a Hoosier.
Jackson stayed in the game at quarterback for Indiana into the fourth, leading the Hoosiers to yet another trip to the red zone. There, Josh Henderson punched it in from three yards out, becoming the third Hoosier running back to find paydirt.
Armed with a 38-7 lead halfway through the fourth quarter, the Hoosiers turned the ball back over to Sorsby for the remainder of the game.
The Hoosiers tacked on three more via a field goal late in the fourth en route to a 41-7 victory.
Jackson finished 18 for 21 for 236 yards and had a touchdown on the ground. The Indiana ground attack was strong all game long. Lucas, Henderson and Turner all scored on the ground as the Hoosiers rushed for over 200 yards as a team.
The defense was once again a bright spot for the Hoosiers. Indiana State scored on a scoop-and-score, but the Sycamore offense was stifled throughout.
With the win, the Hoosiers improve to 1-1 on the season. Indiana takes on Louisville at noon on Sep. 16 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
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