Indiana opened Big Ten play with a hard-fought 29-23 victory over Northwestern on Friday night, surviving a furious fourth-quarter comeback attempt from the Wildcats.
The No. 5 Hoosiers controlled much of the game early and built a 15-0 halftime lead. However, Northwestern refused to go away, turning the game into a tense finish before Indiana finally secured the victory.
Hoosiers Control the First Half
Indiana’s defense set the tone early, keeping Northwestern off the scoreboard throughout the first half.
The Hoosiers took a 2-0 lead in the opening quarter before adding 10 points in the second to take a 12-point advantage into halftime. Indiana added another field goal in the third quarter, extending its lead to 15-7 heading into the final period.
Northwestern had entered the game averaging 37.5 points per game and had scored 41 points against Colorado in its previous outing, but Indiana’s defense managed to slow down the Wildcats for much of the night.
Northwestern Makes It Interesting
The Wildcats came alive in the fourth quarter.
Northwestern scored 16 points in the final period and continued to put pressure on Indiana as the Hoosiers tried to protect their lead. Indiana answered with 14 fourth-quarter points of its own, but the game remained a one-possession battle late.
The Wildcats had one final opportunity to make something happen, including a dramatic onside-kick attempt that nearly gave them another possession. Indiana ultimately recovered and was able to finish off the victory.
Indiana Moves to 4-0
With the 29-23 win, Indiana improves to 4-0 and begins its Big Ten schedule with a victory.
The Hoosiers entered the night after dominating their first three games, outscoring their opponents 145-16. Friday night was a much different challenge, as Northwestern pushed Indiana throughout the second half and showed why it entered the matchup undefeated.
For Indiana, it wasn’t the comfortable victory many expected after its dominant nonconference start. Instead, the Hoosiers had to withstand a late Northwestern charge and make the plays necessary to preserve the win.
Indiana now turns its attention toward the rest of a challenging Big Ten schedule, while Northwestern leaves Bloomington knowing it pushed one of the nation’s top ranked teams to the final minutes.
The Hoosiers survived and that’s all that matters in Big Ten play.
