Indiana University Football host Illinois
Indiana University Football host Illinois tonight at 8pm at Memorial Stadium and will be nationally televised on Fox Sports 1. The Hoosiers kick off the 138th season of Indiana football and looking to bounce back after a 2-10 record a season ago. Indiana has won 15-of-18 season openers, including seven straight from 2004-10 and five straight from 2012-16. IU will open with a Big Ten foe for the fourth time in Tom Allen’s six campaigns and third straight season. Allen has faced No. 2 Ohio State (2017), No. 8 Penn State (2020) and No. 17 Iowa (2021) to open seasons with the Hoosiers. Indiana will kick off a campaign against Illinois for the for the fifth time in program history and the first time since 1974. Illinois has won three of the four season openers with IU’s lone win coming in a 20-0 blanking of the Illini on August 26, 1959. The 1960, 1973 and 1974 meetings went the way of Illinois, with the ’73 contest played in Bloomington, as well. Indiana and Illinois are meeting for the first time since 2017 and the first time in Bloomington since 2013.
Since 2002, Indiana has opened the season at home in 13 of the 20 seasons. The Hoosiers own a 12-1 record in those games, with the lone loss to No. 2 Ohio State (2017). This is the 3rd time since 1995 that the Hoosiers have played at Friday Night game. The Hoosiers played at Central Michigan in 2005 and at Minnesota in 2018.
There are many questions to begin the 2022 season for the Hoosiers. Tom Allen has not publicly named a starting quarterback as Missouri transfer Connor Bazelak and Jack Tuttle compete for the starting job. Tuttle played in six games last season and was 45-87 for 423 yards, 2 touchdowns along with 5 interceptions. Michael Penix Jr transferred to the University of Washington. Donaven McCulley has moved to Wide Receiver and walk on Grant Gremel who started against Purdue a season ago has moved down the depth chart. There are new coordinators as Chad Wilt takes over the Defense and Walt Belt joins the staff as the Offensive Coordinator. IU added several transfers in the off season and most the defense who played in the 2021 season are back to make a run in 2022. IU was ravaged with a ton of injuries at all positions last season and lost their last 8 games including a winless Big Ten Campaign.
Illinois beat Wyoming 38-6 in the season opener last Saturday at home. The Illini were led by running back Chase Brown who had 19 carries for 151 yards and 3 touchdowns one was which was receiving. Tommy DeVito was 27-37 for 194 yards and 2 touchdowns in his first game as an Illini after transferring from Syracuse. Pat Bryant caught three passes for 44 yards and a touchdown. Reggie Love III added a rushing touchdown and Caleb Griffin kicked a field goal and five extra points. The Illini offense had 477 yards, 26 first downs and no turnovers against the Cowboys. Illinois held Wyoming 212 yards of offense and two field goals. Illinois is coached by Bret Bielema who is in second season at Illinois with a 6-7 record and 103-65 overall in 14 seasons. Bielema was 68-24 at Wisconsin from 2006-12 and 29-34 at Arkansas from 2013-17 with 4-5 Bowl Record.
All Three Monroe County Schools home as week 3 of HS Football kicks off
All Three Monroe County High Schools will be at home for week 3 of the high school football season. Bloomington North hosts Terre Haute South, Bloomington South host Terre Haute North and Edgewood host Peotone from Illinois. The Bloomington North and South games kickoff at 7:30pm tonight and Edgewood will play Saturday afternoon at 2 pm. All three county schools are 1-1 on the season.
Bloomington North beat Bedford North Lawrence 35-14 a week ago in Bedford. The Cougars play the home opener this evening looking to beat Terre Haute South for the third consecutive year. The Cougars beat the Braves 49-14 in 2020 and 35-8 last season. Terre Haute South is 1-1 on the season after a 27-20 loss to Gibson Southern in week 1 and 45-26 win over Rich Central from Illinois in week 2. This will be the first road trip for the Braves this season.
Bloomington South lost at Martinsville 27-14 last Friday. The Panthers have not lost to Terre Haute North since October 4, 2013, when the Patriots won 51-47 in Bloomington. The Panthers have won 10 straight including two sectional meetings in 2015 and 2016. Terre Haute North is 1-1 on the season after a 59-6 rout of Indianapolis Attucks last week at home. The Patriots lost to Northview 27-21 in week 1 on the road.
Edgewood lost at home to Monrovia 42-10 last week after a 38-16 win over Mitchell in Week 1. The Mustangs are in the third game of a four game homestand to start the season. Peotone Illinois is located off interstate 57 north of Kanakee and South of Chicago. The Blue Devils make the long bus trip to Ellettsville after winning 48-16 last week against Rantoul Illinois. This will be the first time Edgewood has played a team from outside Indiana. Both teams were needing a game after their opponents dropped them in the offseason.
Indiana University Women’s Soccer beats Indiana State 3-0
Indiana University Women’s Soccer got their first win of the season Thursday night with a 3-0 win over Indiana State on Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The Hoosiers are 1-0-3 after three scoreless draws to start the season against West Virginia, Virginia Tech and Ball State. The Hoosiers get a combined shutout from Jamie Gerstenberg and Bethany Kopel. Gerstenberg played the first 59 minutes and 41 seconds of the match and made 1 save. Kopel finished up and did not make a save. Indiana had the advantage in shots 24-3, 8-1 in shots on goal and 6-2 on corner kicks. Indiana State goalkeeper Maddie Alexander made 5 saves and Indiana State committed 4 fouls to 3 for the Hoosiers. The Sycamores fall to 0-3-1 on the season.
Paige Webber got the scoring started for the Hoosiers when she found top right of the goal with the assist from Alania Kalin at the 59:31 mark. Kalin got her second assist of the night when found Jen Blitchok who the bottom right of the goal off the right foot at the 60:31 mark. Anna Bennett scored at the 75;43 mark at the bottom right of the goal off her right foot with the assist to Sarah Sirdah and Jaelyn Pallas. Indiana will face Notre Dame Sunday night at 6pm on Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
Indiana University Men’s Soccer hosts Notre Dame Saturday night
Indiana University Men’s Soccer is back in action Saturday at 8pm as they host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish as part of the Addidas/IU Credit Union Classic on Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The Hoosiers are 0-1-1 on the season after 3-3 draw against Portland in the home opener Tuesday Night. IU lost to top ranked Clemson 3-2 last Friday night on the road. The Hoosiers are 32-10 all time against the Irish including a 4-0-1 record in their last five meetings. Notre Dame beat the Hoosiers 4-0 on October 4, 2016, in South Bend and last won in Bloomington August 30, 2015, 1-0 in overtime.
Notre Dame is 1-1 on the season after a 3-1 loss at home to Seattle University on August 25, and a 3-2 road win at Michigan State on August 29. The Irish have won five straight matches at Michigan State dating back to the 2011 season. Indiana is in the midst of four game homestand with St John’s and Akron coming to Bloomington next week. This game is dubbed “Fill the Bill” as IU is trying to break an attendance record for a Men’s home soccer match.
Indianapolis Indians Coverage
Indy Beats Louisville 3-2
Cam Alldred, Nick Mears, Cam Vieaux and Eric Hanhold combined to to toss 7.0 hitless frames for the Indianapolis Indians, and the offense brought across three late-inning runs to earn a 3-2 comeback victory against the Louisville Bats on Thursday night.After being held scoreless through six innings and facing a 2-0 deficit, the Indians (64-60) brought home three runs in the seventh to capture the lead. Brendt Citta drew a leadoff walk and Drew Maggi followed with a RBI double to cut the deficit in half. With one out, Diego Castillo singled to put runners on the corners. Travis Swaggerty blooped an RBI single into center field to send Maggi home to tie the game and end the night for RHP Eddy Demurias (L, 4-2). Bligh Madris chopped a ground ball off that was misplayed by second basemen Leonardo Rivas to score Castillo to take a 3-2 lead.
Louisville (52-74) jumped out to an early lead by scoring two runs on three hits in the second inning. Despite collecting four hits in their first two at-bats, the Bats offense was stalled for the remainder of the contest. Indy’s bullpen kept the Bats silent after the second inning. Alldred (2.2ip, 0h, 2k), Mears (2.0ip, 0h, 2k), Vieaux (2.0ip, 0h, 2k) and Hanhold (1.0ip, 0h, 1k) came in to close the door on the Bats. Prior to a two-out walk issued by Hanhold in the bottom of the ninth, Indians’ pitchers retired 15 consecutive batters. Mears (W, 1-1) earned the win with 2.0 perfect innings and Hanhold (S, 10) earned his 10th save of the season. The Indians will be back-in-action tonight at Louisville Slugger Field with a 7:05pm first pitch. RHP Randy Wynne (5-11, 5.01) will take the mound for Louisville. Indianapolis has yet to name a starter.
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