Local Sports Headlines: October 1, 2021

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Indiana Football Travels to Penn State for Big Matchup

The Indiana Hoosiers will travel to State College PA to take on the 4th ranked and unbeaten Penn State Nittany Lions for a 7:30 PM kickoff on ABC. Indiana is looking to win for Beaver Stadium for the first time in history. The Hoosiers are 0-11 and will face its biggest crowd yet this season with 106,572 fans for the annual stripe out game where sections are alternating between blue and white shirts. The Nittany Lions lead the all-time series 22-2. The Hoosiers beat 8th ranked Penn State 36-35 on October 24th, 2020 to open the shortened conference only schedule a season ago. The only other time that Indiana beat Penn State was October 5th, 2013 in Bloomington when the Hoosiers won 44-24. Michael Penix Jr was the hero in last years game when he stretches the football to the pylon when the Hoosiers went for the 2-point conversion to win the game and get their 6th win against a top ten opponent in school history. Penix threw for 353 yards last week in the 33-31 win over Western Kentucky. Peyton Hendershot collected 100 yards and became the first tight end since Dave Lijia in 1985 to do so and the fifth tight end in school history to achieve that mark. Penn State is 4-0 and led by quarterback Sean Clifford who is 86-120 passing for 1,158 yards 8 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Penn State is coached by James Franklin is in his eight season with a 64-28 record and is 88-43 overall in 11 years overall as he coached Vanderbilt from 2011-13.  There are four Pennsylvania natives on the IU roster, Wide Receiver Eli Jochem (Gibsonia), Defensive Tackle Shamar Jones (Johnstown), Offensive Lineman Mike Katic (Gibsonia)and Offensive Lineman Tim Weaver (Hellertown). Penn State Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Mike Yurchich was a graduate assistant at Indiana from 2003-2004.

Hoosier Hysteria Kicks Off College Basketball Season

Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall is ready to come alive again tomorrow at 4 p.m. for Hoosier Hysteria presented by Smithville.
It’s been 571 days since Hoosier basketball fans have been able to watch Indiana Basketball in person at IU’s iconic basketball venue. That all comes to an end Saturday at 2:30 p.m., when the doors are once again opened, fans are welcomed, and the roars return for the official tip-off event for the 2021-22 Hoosier men’s and women’s basketball seasons.
Admission is free, with fans instead asked to bring one or more canned food items to donate to Hoosier Hills Food Bank. Hoosier Hills Food Bank distributes food to an estimated 7,500 people each week in Monroe, Brown, Lawrence, Orange, Owen and Martin counties, and to make that happen the local non-profit relies on the generosity of Hoosiers through events such as Hoosier Hysteria.
A lot has changed since the last time Hoosier fans filled the Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall seats. On the men’s side, IU legend Mike Woodson has returned to coach his alma mater, and he’s focused on returning the program to the level of success he enjoyed as an All-America player from 1977-80. On the women’s side, Coach Teri Moren’s team has blossomed into a Big Ten title contender, a squad that returns all five starters from last year’s squad that advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight.
Both coaches will address the crowd and introduce their 2021-22 squads to the Hoosier faithful. Those player and coach introductions, meanwhile, will give way to a 90-minute event loaded with things for fans to enjoy.

One of those items will be the introduction of former IU All-American, two-time NBA Champion and Naismith Hall of Fame inductee Isiah Thomas, who will be in attendance and will address the crowd.
Other highlights from Saturday’s Hoosier Hysteria presented by Smithville:

  • 2:30 p.m. – Doors Open
  • 2:30-4 p.m. – Pre-Event Festivities, including MBB and WBB Trivia on the Videoboard, Candy Stripe Classic 3 v. 3 Championship Game, IU Cheerleaders and Redsteppers performances, and the William Tell Overture
  • Men’s and Women’s Player Introductions
  • 3-Point Shooting Team Contest 
    • Anthony Leal/Aleksa Gulbe
    • Tamar Bates/Caitlin Hose
    • Parker Stewart/Grace Berger
    • Miller Kopp/Ali Patberg
  • Skills Competition Teams
    • Rob Phinisee/ Mackenzie Holmes
    • Xavier Johnson/Kiandra Browne
    • Logan Duncomb/Nicole Cardaño-Hillary
    • Race Thompson/Chloe Moore-McNeil
  • Dunk Contest
    • o Jordan Geronimo
    • Khristian Lander
    • Trey Galloway
    • Trayce Jackson-Davis
  • Men’s Basketball Workout 

All main-level seats are general admission and available on a first come, first served basis. Fans will be permitted to line up outside the north and south ends of SSAH beginning as early as 7 a.m. Saturday morning. Upon their arrival for the season tip-off event, members of the men’s and women’s basketball team will greet the early-arriving fans and serve up a limited amount of food. During that same time players will be available for informal photos, but there will not be a dedicated autograph session inside of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall before or after Hoosier Hysteria this year.
Fans can park for free in the surface lots on the IU Athletics campus. ADA parking is available through Gate 13 off Fee Lane.
In accordance with Indiana University protocols and Monroe County Health Department guidance, all fans are required to wear a face covering inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Week 7 Of High School Football Kicks Off Tonight

It’s a big night of high school football action with Bloomington North and Edgewood at Home while Bloomington South is on the road. Bloomington North 5-1 host 6-0 and the number 1 in Class 4A Indianapolis Roncalli at 7 PM. The cougars are averaging 42.7 points per game after hanging 69 points on New Albany last week the Cougars are giving up 25.5 Points. Roncalli is averaging 39.2 points and giving up 14.0 per game. Edgewood 1-4 will host Sullivan 4-2 on the red turf in Ellettsville at 7 PM. Edgewood comes in averaging 21.8 points on offense and giving up 35.0 on defense. Sullivan is averaging 31.0 points and 18.3 on defense. Bloomington South 6-0 will to Columbus North 3-3. The Panthers can clinch the Conference Indiana Championship with a win tonight. Columbus North could win it outright if they can beat Bloomington South, Bloomington North and Terre Haute South in the next three weeks.

Indianapolis Colts Travel to Miami Dolphins

The Indianapolis Colts travel to face the Miami Dolphins Sunday 1 pm on CBS. The Colts are 0-3 and have by a loss by total of 24 points. Carson Wentz is questionable for this week with ankle issues. Wentz has thrown for 3 touchdown this season.  The Colts have 1 rushing touchdown by Nyheim Hines and the team has put up 56 points through three games. The Dolphins are 1-2 beating the New England Patriots 17-16 on the road in week 1. They fell to the Buffalo Bills 35-0 in week 2 at home and lost on the road 31-28 to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Dolphins are led by quarterback Jacoby Brissett who is 56-89 384 yards and interception. Brissett played for the Colts from 2017-2020, he threw for 6,059 yards 31 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 46 games with the horseshoe.