Fourth quarter still a "Peanut" gallery for IU

Appropriately the newest version of the "Peanuts" franchise hit theaters on Friday.

It's fitting because Saturday Indiana went back to its all-to-familiar role of Charlie Brown.

The Big Ten seems to taking turns playing Lucy.

Another week comes and goes with a conference foe pulling the football from the feet of the Hoosiers in a game that victory looked well within reach.

There was driving to the shadow of the end zone against top-ranked Ohio State on the verge of a game-tying touchdown...and
the snap sailing over the head of the quarterback on the games ultimate play.

There was leading Rutgers by 19 entering the final period....then seeing the Scarlet Knights score 22 unanswered points.

There was a mere two-point hole against unbeaten Michigan State....that somehow turned into a 26-point loss.

After an October slate where Indiana was outscored 80-10 -- including three straight final-quarter goose eggs over the final three games -- Iowa became the latest team to tease the Hoosiers on Saturday at Memorial Stadium, leaving town with a hard-fought 35-27 victory.

Within a single point after Griffin Oakes opened the final 15-minutes with a 28-yard field goal to make it 21-20, the Hawkeyes marched through the crimson colored jerseys for a TD - converting a crucial third-and-11 with a 12-yard pass from C.J. Beathard to Matt Vanderburg that became this game's version of "what might have been."

From there, the script flipped to the familiar final-quarter formula.

Indiana went down quickly on offense with a chance to tie. And the defense couldn't hang on. The opponent breaks things open.

Another contest hit the loss column.

Rinse...repeat.

There's usually some moment that makes the loss even tougher to stomach. This time it was the onside kick after a late Hoosier touchdown that it appeared two Indiana players had a legit shot at recovering. They didn't. Iowa did. Then milked the time off the clock.

It's too easy to say this is Indiana and Indiana loses these types of football games.

It's irresponsible to think that way as well.

As a faint chant of "Fire Wilson" broke out from the students at various points Saturday, saying it's time to move on from Kevin Wilson.

It's time to even stop that discussion.

Moral victories are garbage. They are as fun to talk about as being in your mid-30s and attending family weddings armed

with only pictures of your cats as a date.

Still, as frustrating as things seem, Indiana is continually on the cusp of a breakthrough.
Three games against unbeaten top-10 opponents and victory was in the discussion.

Knocking on the door against Big Ten heavyweights is a far far cry from the days when the program didn't even live in the
neighborhood.

"We just gotta keep knocking and knocking and knocking and get in," said Wilson after the game. "We don't like it, we've got to make plays.

"We've got great leaders in there. We're not satisfied, we gotta find a way to finish."

Indiana is showing it has the talent. There's Big Ten players littered throughout the two-deep. And this is a program where being Charlie Brown is a step up. Let's not forget how many times it has been Pig Pen in the past.

So the ball got pulled from Indiana again Saturday. Frustration lingers for the faithful that decided the second half was worth sticking around for.

One day - surely - that kick is destined to connect.