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Analysis: One last look before WKU

IndyHutch

By IndyHutch

    • If Indiana could get to 3-0 after today, the reality that it would only need to win three of its final nine games to become bowl eligible would be significant. Lose today and the same old Indiana football talk will rear its ugly head once again.

It’s time for a perception vs. reality check with Indiana football.

 

Two weeks in, the Hoosiers are 2-0. And in a bottom line business, that’s really the only thing that matters. If Indiana was anything but 2-0 after playing Southern Illinois and Florida International the noise around the IU football program would be at a deafening level.

 

But IU found a way to take care of business. It trailed in both games at halftime, but the bottom line is that IU got it done.

 

Today’s game with Western Kentucky is a huge game for the Hoosiers in terms of perception.

 

Win today, and IU will be off to its first 3-0 start under Kevin Wilson and all of a sudden the reality that Indiana could have a bowl kind of season would be at the point where you could allow yourself to start thinking about it.

 

Lose today, and it will be the ‘same old Indiana football’ talk that rears its ugly head.

 

The problem for anyone who has been around Indiana football for any length of time is the knowledge that if something appears to be too good to be true with IU football is usually is. This program has a history of disappointing its fan base. Almost to the point where the diehards refuse to allow themselves to get disappointed any more.

 

So when it comes to Indiana football, it’s pretty much an eternal ‘wait-and-see’ mode.

 

And yet if Indiana was 3-0 with a road game against a beatable Wake Forest team looming next weekend, all of a sudden things could be moving ahead with an optimistic tone in Bloomington.

 

If IU is 2-1, however, now Wake Forest becomes a must-win game and it’s just a completely different feel about this program moving forward. The new reality would be that IU squeaked past Southern Illinois, needed a big defensive play at the end to beat FIU and the Hoosiers lost to Western Kentucky. Not exactly a great resume.

 

On the flip side, if Indiana wins today, all you have to say is that IU took care of business three weeks in a row and has positioned itself well at this point in the year.

 

Myself, I expect Indiana to win today. I think Western Kentucky will get its points, and most likely get them through the air against a young IU secondary. But I think IU will take advantage of the WKU defense, too, both on the ground and through the air.

 

I think there’s a good chance Indiana puts up a big number today.

 

At the same time, having watched Indiana football as long as I have (from the press box the last 18 seasons), I reserve the right to be a little bit skeptical until it happens, too.

 

It just seems like I’ve been down this road before.

 

Over and over again.

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odd thoughts

18 years...rookie....sorry couldn't resist...Since I have had pretty much the same seats since 64, I can relate to the above.  It's real hard to be excited when you have seen the same thing over and over.  Yes, we made a bowl or two in that time, but in reality, you could write the script before the season in fiction, and probably be pretty close the end of the season...The title 'How are we going to blow it this time.'  History shows...we can find a way...What we have right now, who knows...The first game 9 or so players sat out (starters?) and the second game was their first game, and with it the first game jitters, and rust removal.  I don't care how good you practice, games are a different thing, and a different speed...I would think after today, we should be able to see what we got...Still the bottom line, is if you can't stop anybody, your chances of winning are slight...IMHO, we haven't really stopped anybody yet...especially when you consider who we have played...

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HoosierReb01

18 years...rookie....sorry couldn't resist...Since I have had pretty much the same seats since 64, I can relate to the above.  It's real hard to be excited when you have seen the same thing over and over.  Yes, we made a bowl or two in that time, but in reality, you could write the script before the season in fiction, and probably be pretty close the end of the season...The title 'How are we going to blow it this time.'  History shows...we can find a way...What we have right now, who knows...The first game 9 or so players sat out (starters?) and the second game was their first game, and with it the first game jitters, and rust removal.  I don't care how good you practice, games are a different thing, and a different speed...I would think after today, we should be able to see what we got...Still the bottom line, is if you can't stop anybody, your chances of winning are slight...IMHO, we haven't really stopped anybody yet...especially when you consider who we have played...

You are right that we haven't really stopped anybody, but we have made a few critical stops. That's not the endgame, but its a start that made a difference in a close game last week, and to a lesser extent even in the first game. Keep building, keep getting better, keep moving up.

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IndyHutch

You are right that we haven't really stopped anybody, but we have made a few critical stops. That's not the endgame, but its a start that made a difference in a close game last week, and to a lesser extent even in the first game. Keep building, keep getting better, keep moving up.

 

I guess I'm in that camp, too. Defense has not been great by any stretch but the D did get FIU off the field 11 times last week. That's something to build on. Just have to eliminate the easy big plays today.

HoosierReb01 reacted to this

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