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NCAAF. Short for NCAA College Football. On this page you will be about to keep up with the top programs, including Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, Clemson, Michigan and more every week.

College football is one of the most viewed sports in American and we do our best to cover as many games as possible, especially those involving AP and College Football Top 25 teams and all the bowl games from December through January.

Every week the schedule and all the scores from the Big Ten conference are published in the this section, along with the ESPN3 schedule.

In case you aren't aware, championship time is in November, so if you miss the early action in September and October, make sure you make time to watch college football from November.

The latest from the College Football Playoff, as well as the CFP Top 25 Rankings will also be on the page so stay tuned  for all the weekly reports from our team of hard working writers.

Northwestern Stifles No. 10 Wisconsin In 17-7 Win; Improves To 5-0

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EVANSTON, Ill. – The Northwestern Wildcats are 5-0 in Big Ten play for the first time since 1996 after their victory over No. 10 Wisconsin, 17-7, on Saturday night, Northwestern’s first win over a top-10 opponent since 2011.

The Wildcats’ defense was dominant all game long, forcing five turnovers, the most Wisconsin has allowed against Northwestern since 2015. The ‘Cats also held the Badgers scoreless for the final three quarters of the game. Northwestern improves to 6-1 against Wisconsin in games at Ryan Field since 2000.

Graduate transfer Peyton Ramsey threw for 203 yards, completing 23-of-44 passes and ending the game with a quarterback efficiency of 106. Senior wide receivers Ramaud Chiaokiao-Bowman and Kyric McGowan both set career highs in receiving yards with 95 and 80 yards, respectively.

Northwestern opened up scoring within the first five minutes, with junior Charlie Mangieri hauling in a 2-yard pass for his first career touchdown. He becomes the fifth Wildcat to catch a touchdown pass this season and continued Northwestern’s opening drive touchdown streak, having done so in four of its five games this season.

On Wisconsin’s second possession, senior Paddy Fisher, forced a fumble and the Wildcat offense was back out on the field. Fisher has the most forced fumbles in program history and is the active FBS leader, with 11 on his career.

One play later, the ‘Cats executed a trick play as Chiaokhiao-Bowman hauled in a 36-yard pass from fellow senior wideout Riley Lees, the first time a non-NU quarterback completed a pass in a game since Jeremy Larkin at the Music City Bowl in 2017.

The Badgers responded with a fumble recovery and touchdown of their own, their only score of the game. The teams traded possessions and senior Blake Gallagher forced his first career fumble on his second career sack to stop Wisconsin’s next drive and put the offense back on the field to end the first quarter.

Sophomore Eku Leota opened up the field for the Northwestern offense early in the second quarter. Leota now has four sacks over the last four games and this is the first time in his career recording multiple TFLs and a sack in back-to-back games.

Redshirt first-year Brandon Joseph brought in two interceptions late in the second quarter, denying the Badgers a chance to score. His second interception allowed Northwestern to end the first half with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Chiaokiao-Bowman, giving the ‘Cats the lead 14-7.

It was defensive battle in the third quarter, with both teams trading possessions and remaining scoreless heading into the final quarter.

Wisconsin opened up with a drive to the Northwestern 23-yard line, but Junior Cameron Ruiz came up with a sack on fourth down to give the ball back to the ‘Cats. After a 53-yard drive, senior Charlie Kuhbander put one through the uprights to extend Northwestern’s lead to 17-7.

Junior Greg Newsome II grabbed his first career interception to close out the fourth quarter, becoming the eighth player to post an interception this season.

The Wildcats will be back in action on Saturday, Nov. 28 as they travel to East Lansing to take on the Michigan State Spartans.

COMPLETE GAME BOX SCORE

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No. 3 Ohio State Survives 42-35 Against No. 9 Indiana; Penix Jr. Outplays Fields

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 3 Ohio State held out for a battling 42-35 victory over No. 9 Indiana to remain undefeated on the season and stay in the College Football Playoff conversations.

The Buckeyes (4-0) were far from their best on Saturday, but did enough to avoid the upset in what former CFP winning coach Urban Meyer described as a “balanced performance on offense.”

It was 18th straight win for Ohio State against an AP-ranked Big Ten teams, which is the longest such streak against conference opponents in the AP Poll era (since 1936), according ESPN Stats and Information.

The researchers also revealed that It was also the Buckeyes’ 26th straight win vs Indiana, which is the longest winning streak against a single opponent in Big Ten history.

BIG DAY FOR TEAGUE, WILSON, OLAVE

On Saturday, Ohio State tallied over 600 yards of total offense, including an impressive 307 on the ground and held Indiana to -1 yard rushing on the defensive side.

Despite having a shaky day, which saw him throwing three interceptions – his first of the season – quarterback Justin Fields tallied 300 yards on 18 of 30 passes with two touchdowns for Ohio State. He also added 78 yards rushing and another score.

Master Teague rushed for 169 yards on 26 carries with two touchdowns, while Trey Sermon added 60 yards to the total on the ground.

For the third time this season, both Ohio State wide received Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave topped the 100-yard mark. Wilson had seven catches for 169 yards and two scores and Olave grabbed eight catches for 101 yards.

PENIX JR. OUTPLAYED FIELDS

Michael Penix Jr. was outstanding on the day for Indiana (4-1), throwing for a career-high 491 yards and five touchdowns on 27 of 51 completed passes with one interception.

Wide receiver Ty Fryfogle was also outstanding with seven catches for 218 yards and three touchdowns.

The Hoosiers kept Ohio State scoreless in the fourth quarter, while scoring 14 points.

“We’re a great team,” Penix Jr. said. “The guys fought. We’ll fight the whole 60 minutes. “I love what I saw. We didn’t get the results we wanted, we have a lot to correct, but we’ll keep pushing forward.”

Despite the loss, Penix Jr. becomes only the 3rd player all-time with 400 Pass yds and 5 TDs in a game against the Buckeyes, ESPN Stats and Information revealed.

Penix Jr. joins Minnesota’s Mike Hohensee (1981) and Illinois’ Dave Wilson (1980). Hohensee is the only one in this trio to win the game.

“We did a lot of great things,” Penix said, “but we can do better. We have to find a way to win. We have to finish. The defense gave us opportunities at the end. We have to take advantage of it.”

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[Louisville vs. Syracuse] College Football – How To Watch The Game Live @7:00

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The busy college football season will continue tonight when Syracuse travels for the first time in nearly a month to take on Louisville for a Friday night showdown at Cardinal Stadium.

Tonight’s game will broadcast live on the ESPN Network and streaming live on WatchESPN.com and the ESPN App. Making the call are Anish Shroff (Play by play), Tom Luginbill (analyst) and Katie George (sideline reporter).

Cardinals (2-6, 1-6 Atlantic Coast Conference), according to ESPN’s Football Power Index, have a 83.7% chance of winning this game. The Orange (1-7, 1-6) are on a five game losing streak.

  • Friday’s game marks the 19th meeting between Syracuse and Louisville. Sixteen of those pairings have been as conference rivals, first in the BIG EAST and now in the ACC. The Cardinals own the series lead, 11-7.
  • Plenty of points have been scored in recent years, with the winning side going over the 40-point threshold in six of the last seven meetings, including five consecutive games where the winning team reached 40 points or more. In each of the last four games, the victor has scored 50+ points.
  • The Cardinals have won six of the eight games played in Louisville. Syracuse has not won a road game against the Louisville since a 38-35 victory in 2007.
  • In 1989, the Orange defeated the Cardinals 24-13 at the Coca-Cola Bowl in Tokyo, Japan. It’s the only time Syracuse football has played a game outside of North America.

SYRACUSE AT LOUISVILLE
Game Details: 7 p.m. | Friday, Nov. 20
Location: Louisville, Ky. | Cardinal Stadium
Game Links: Watch | Listen | Live Stats
Television: ESPN

Standings provided by SofaScore LiveScore

Ball State Tops Northern Illinois 31-25; Huskies Remain Winless This Season

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MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State wore down visiting Northern Illinois for a 31-25 win Wednesday night, keeping the rivalry trophy in Muncie. The Cardinals won 27-20 at NIU last season.

“I’m just proud of the way the guys answered the bell in the second half,” Ball State head coach Mike Neu said. “We knew we had to go play a four-quarter game.

“No matter what would’ve happened in any previous play or previous quarter or half, we just needed to go play, battle, fight, scratch and claw, and the guys did that.”

Perhaps the biggest play of the game came in the second quarter with Ball State trailing 14-7 and Northern Illinois threatening. Amechi Uzodinma II picked off a pass and ran it 71 yards for a touchdown to tie the game heading into halftime.

Caleb Huntley, one of the nation’s top performers last week when he rushed for 204 yards and three touchdowns versus Eastern Michigan, took over after having only 19 yards at halftime. Huntley carried six times on the Cardinals’ go-ahead drive, scoring a 3-yard touchdown with 5:12 left on the third-quarter clock. Ball State would lead for the rest of the game.

“The defense kept battling and battling and battling, and then we got that pick six,” Neu said. “You could just feel the momentum shift there on the sideline. You could just feel the added punch that we needed.”

Huntley, who entered the week third in the nation in yards per game, continued his dominance on the ground with 103 yards and a score against Northern Illinois. It was his seventh consecutive effort of 100 yards or more, which set a school record.

Ball State (2-1, 2-1 Mid-American Conference) extended its lead to 28-14 after Yo’Heinz Tyler made two big plays. Tyler took a Drew Plitt pass 64 yards to the Northern Illinois 13 and then was rewarded with the touchdown moments later.

Northern Illinois answered with a scoring drive, but Ball State tacked on a 33-yard field goal from Jack Knight with 2:20 left in the game to lead 31-22.

The Huskies added a late field goal and tried an onside kick in the final moments, but Ball State was able to ice the game and retain the rivalry trophy. 

“It means a lot,” senior safety Bryce Cosby said. “Before the game, I was telling the guys about 2017. We got beat 63-17. It was hard as a freshman … I can remember that game at Northern Illinois like it was yesterday.

“It was freezing cold. We got beat 63-17 and it was a true gut punch just getting on the bus after that … I am fortunate to be part of this rivalry, and am I glad we have gone on to win the past two years.”

Antwan Davis scored a touchdown early in the game and added a 2-point conversion after the Tyler touchdown. Tyler and Justin Hall combined to catch 14 of Ball State’s 17 completed passes. The Cardinals amassed 201 yards on the ground, with Tye Evans gaining 60 yards while spelling Huntley.

Northern Illinois (0-3, 0-3 MAC) was led by Tyrice Richie, who caught 11 passes for 108 yards.

Huskies quarterback Ross Bowers threw for 300 yards, but the defensive touchdown scored on the interception swung the game in favor of the Cardinals.

Cosby led the Cardinals with 14 tackles, while Jaylin Thomas had 13. Uzodinma also had two pass breakups in addition to the game-changing interception. 

Ball State will have 10 days until its next game, a Saturday, Nov. 28 contest at Toledo. That will be a noon kickoff on ESPN3 and WLBC 104.1 FM.

FINAL STATS AND BOX SCORE (PDF)

Central Michigan vs. Western Michigan – Watch Live And Listen Audio Coverage

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MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – It’s Central Michigan vs. Western Michigan, and it could be tiddlywinks or debate or esports: The competitive juices flow, the ire is raised.

In 2020, the stakes are remarkably high.

The Chippewas are set to entertain the Broncos on Wednesday, Nov. 18 (7 p.m./ESPN2) at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. Both teams are 2-0 overall and in the Mid-American Conference, sharing the top spot in the West Division.

The game marks the midway point of the season. The winner of the annual showdown between bitter rivals takes sole possession of first place in the division with three games to play.

“I love college rivalries,” said second-year Central Michigan coach Jim McElwain, who has coached in several rivalry games, such as Michigan-Ohio State, Michigan-Michigan State, Alabama-Auburn and Florida-Georgia.

“I think it’s really what makes this sport great. People throughout this state know the importance of the Central-Western rivalry. As a coach, as a player, you just love playing in those kinds of things.”

The Chippewas are coming off a dominant 40-10 win at Northern Illinois after opening the season with a 30-27 home victory over Ohio in redshirt freshman Daniel Richardson’s first collegiate start at quarterback.

The Broncos rolled past Akron, 58-13, in their opener and then last week came from 10 points down in the final minute to beat Toledo, 41-38.

The teams play annually for the Victory Cannon, so named because at both home stadiums, Kelly/Shorts and Western’s Waldo Stadium, a canon is fired each time the home team scores points.

“It represents something and it’s something you carry with you for a year,” McElwain said.

“And then you go put it back on the line once a year. … Fun to be a part of. No matter where you’re at, knowing rivalries, respecting the rivalry, and knowing what it means to so many is really important for your team.”

MOUNT PLEASANT, MICH.TV: 
ESPN2 RADIO: Central Michigan SPORTS PROPERTIES RADIO NETWORK
WATCH | LISTEN | LIVE STATS | TUNEIN | HISTORY

Ball State vs. Northern Illinois – How To Watch Live Coverage

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Watch tonight’s game between Ball State (1-1, 1-1 MAC) and Northern Illinois (0-2, 0-2 MAC) at Gainbridge Field at Scheumann Stadium on Wednesday night. ESPNews will provide the live television coverage and WatchESPN.com will carry the streaming action.

Per Mid-American Conference COVID-19 regulations, no general public attendance or tailgating will be permitted this season. Attendance is permitted only for limited guests of players, coaches and band and spirit team members, up to 500 students, and suite holders in a limited capacity.
 
The Ball State football team is no stranger to close games, a truth made even more clear by the first two outcomes this season.
 
An opening loss at Miami decided with 10 seconds left. A home win over Eastern Michigan decided with 6 seconds left. Both by the same 38-31 score.
 
In fact, if you go back to the beginning of MAC play last season, seven of the Cardinals’ past 10 games have been decided by a touchdown or less.
 
The first game in that stretch was a 27-20 victory at Northern Illinois in the 2019 MAC opener, as Ball State reclaimed the Bronze Stalk trophy for the first time since 2008. The rivals will meet again Wednesday, this time in Muncie.
 
Last year’s matchup saw the Cardinals trail by two touchdowns, just like they did in last week’s comeback win over EMU. BSU won both games in somewhat similar fashion, riding Caleb Huntley and the offensive line.
 
“Just our resilience and our ability to bounce back,” Huntley said of what stood out in last year’s win. “We were down and then just clicked and got out of there with a W.”
 
Huntley carried a career-high 35 times for 157 yards and two touchdowns in the rain that afternoon, and the Ball State defense created three second-half takeaways. That game set Huntley on a stretch that has seen him reach 100 yards rushing in nine of his past 10 games, including his career-best 204-yard effort last week.
 
This year, Ball State will look to defend the Bronze Stalk against a Northern Illinois team hungry for its first win. The Huskies drew a challenging schedule right out of the gate, facing both division favorites from the MAC’s preseason media poll in Buffalo and Central Michigan.
 
The Cardinals know they still have some catching up to do when it comes to the recent history of this series.
 
“There’s no way to overlook Northern Illinois; I don’t care what’s happened the past two games,” Ball State head coach Mike Neu said. “That was our first win last year in 10 tries. There’s nothing really that needs to be said to our football team other than that.
 
“It’s going to be a battle. (NIU) played tough in both of those games against Buffalo and Central Michigan. We’re going to have to go out and execute at a high level because it’s going to be another tough matchup here, and the Bronze Stalk trophy is at stake. It’s really important to our guys and our program that we put two games together in regard to that. We want to keep that trophy here.”

Game 3
Ball State (1-1, 1-1 MAC) vs. Northern Illinois (0-2, 0-2 MAC)
Wednesday, Nov. 18 (7:02 p.m. kickoff)
Muncie, Ind. (Gainbridge Field at Scheumann Stadium)
Watch: ESPNews | Listen: 104.1 WLBC | Live Stats 
Social: @BallStateFB, @BallStateSports, #ChirpChirp, #WeFly, #DOB, #MACtion
Game Notes: Ball State (PDF) | Northern Illinois (PDF) | Game Week Press Conference

Big Second Quarter Pushes UCLA To 34-10 Win Over California In Pac-12 Conference Play

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Pasadena, CA – UCLA used a big second quarter to setup a comfortable 34-10 victory over California in a Pac-12 Conference, rare Sunday college football fixture at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

The game was only announced this week after the orginal fixtures involving both schools were canceled due to positive cases of COVID-19 and related contact tracing.

On Sunday, Dorian Thompson-Robinson was 14 of 26 on completed passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns with one interception, and ran for another 52 yards and a score for the Bruins (1-1, 1-1 Pac-12), who bounced back from the defeat against Colorado.

California took the lead early when Dario Longhetto converted a 31 yard field goal, but Thompson-Robinson run for a close-range score and then connected with Charles Njoku from 27 yards to give UCLA a 14-3 lead.

Golden Bears’ Chase Garbers rushed for a score to close the deficit to 14-10, but back-to-back touchdowns by the Bruins saw them outscoring California 20-7 in the second quarter.

Thompson-Robinson connected with Chase Cota with a six yard scoring pass and then found Kyle Philips from five yards for another score, as UCLA led 27-10 at halftime.

Brittain Brown capped the scoring early in the fourth quarter with a 31 yard touchdown run to seal the victory for the Bruins.

Demetric Felton ran for 107 yards and Greg Dulcich had three catches for 80 in a winning contributing.

The game was a season opener for the Golden Bears (0-1, 0-1).

“We are disappointed we didn’t perform better,” Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said. “I have to do a better job helping these guys prepare. I believe in our team.

“I know we’re going to get better. All those guys are disappointed. I know I am that we didn’t perform as well as we thought we could. I think we all could be better, and every single guy will tell you that.”

Chase Garbers was 18 of 33 for 122 yards and one interception in the defeat for California, which tallied just 176 total yards on offense today.

Todday’s game was the first regular-season college football fixture on an NFL Sunday since the 2017 season.

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[California vs. UCLA] Kickoff Sunday At 12 ET; Here’s How To Watch Live

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Pasadena, CA – Pac-12 conference outfits California and UCLA will be in action in a rare Sunday college football game when the two the teams play each other on today (Nov. 15) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

The matchup was confirmed earlier this week after the initial fixtures involving both teams were canceled because of positive cases of COVID-19 and related contact tracing.

California was originally slated to play at Arizona State on Saturday, and UCLA was scheduled to host Utah before both games were called due the pandemic spread and related contact tracing for the Sun Devils and the Utes.

“We have known from the beginning of this pandemic that there could be challenges this season and that we would need to remain flexible and find ways to be creative while still keeping the health and safety of our student-athletes as our No. 1 priority,” California athletic director Knowlton said in a statement.

“This has certainly been an emotional rollercoaster for those in our program, particularly our student-athletes, but we need to remain as diligent as ever and proceed within federal, state and local protocols. We are appreciative of the work from all involved to be able to play this game on short notice.”

Sunday’s game, which will be the first regular-season college football fixture on an NFL Sunday since the 2017 season, is slated to kickoff at Noon ET, and the game will be televised on Fox Sports 1. For live streaming go to Foxsportsgo.com.

“The scheduling of this game is consistent with the Conference’s commitment to provide opportunities for student-athletes through maximum scheduling flexibility while still prioritizing health and safety,” the Pac-12 said in a statement Friday.

Meanwhile, as a result of the scheduling adjustment, the UCLA against Oregon game, which was scheduled for next Friday, will now take place on Nov. 21.

California and UCLA were not originally scheduled to play this season. It will be a season opener for the Golden Bears, while the Bruins are looking to bounce back from the 48-42 defeat to Colorado.

COMPLETE GAME TV AND STREAMING INFORMATION

REPORT – No. 13 Wisconsin 49, Michigan 11; College Football Today Score

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Report and highlights as No. 13 Wisconsin handed Michigan a third successive defeat in a 49-11 rout in a Big Ten Conference fixture on Saturday night.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — No. 13 Wisconsin dominated the first to build a big lead in a comfortable 49-11 rout of Michigan in a one-sided Big Ten Conference fixture on Saturday night.

WISCONSIN DOMINATED FROM EARLY

Nakia Watson and Mason Stokke each scored two touchdowns in the first half, while the Badgers (2-0) defense kept Michigan offense quiet for most of the night, include limiting the home side to just one total yard in the first quarter.

Watson caught 12 passes for 65 yards and two scores, while Mason Stokke had a scoring catch and also found the end zone with a rushing TD.

Wisconsin, which had two games canceled due to a COVID-19 breakout within the program, raced out to quick 28-0 lead at halftime, which was Michigan’s largest deficit at home since the Big House opened in 1927.

One win in four outings thus far this season, including three successive defeats, is the worst start for the Wolverines since 1967.

MICHIGAN COACH ADMITS THERE IS A PROBLEM

When accessing the hit three game skid, under fire coach Jim Harbaugh, points the finger at coaching, revealing that everything needs to be reevaluated in his program.

Wisconsin was winning for the fifth time in their last seven meetings with Michigan, but Saturday night’s 38-point difference was its largest-ever margin of victory over the Wolverines, surpassing the previous mark of 22 in a 34-12 win in Ann Arbor 1962.

Redshirt freshman Graham Mertz was 12 of 22 for 127 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for the Badgers, who finished with 341 yards rushing and five scores on the ground.

For Michigan, Joe Milton was 9 of 19 for 98 yards with two interceptions and was replaced when the Wolverines were down 35-3 late in the third quarter.

Cade McNamara, made his second appearance of the year when he came out to replace Milton. He completed 4 of 7 passes for 74 yards and his first career touchdown pass, as Michigan fell into a massive hole early and did not recover.

Wisconsin will stay on the road for its next encounter, a matchup against undefeated No. 23 Northwestern this coming weekend. Kickoff time is at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC. Michigan, meanwhile, faces Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network.

COMPLETE GAME BOX SCORE – PDF

REPORT – No. 10 Indiana Shutout Michigan State To Stay Undefeated

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EAST LANSING, Mich. – No. 10 Indiana continues to stay in the College Football Playoff conversations after scoring a shutout victory over Michigan State to stay undefeated on the season on Saturday.

INDIANA CONTINUES TO PROVE A POINT

The Hoosiers (4-0, 4-0 Big Ten) scored all their points in the opening half and went on to a score of 24-0 at Spartan Stadium. The was the largest margin of victory for Indiana at Michigan State in the history of the rivalry. This shutout improved the previous mark best margin of 16 (16-0) set in 1969.

“A shutout is hard to do in this conference,” Indiana head coach Tom Allen said. “We do a good job of taking away what teams need to do to hurt us.
  
“It’s scheme, toughness and play your tails off. I’m excited about the potential and future of this defense.”

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Michael Penix Jr. went 25-of-38 on completed passes for 320 yards and a pair of touchdowns for Indiana, which faces No. 3 Ohio State next weekend.

“It shows how much work we put into it,” Penix Jr. said. “Coach believes in us. He puts that confidence in us. He makes sure we’re prepared.”

CAREER DAY FOR INDIANA RECEIVER FRYFOGLE

Ty Fryfogle returned a career-best performance after the senior wide receiver grabbed 11 receptions for 200 yards and two touchdowns for Indiana, which was securing its first victory as a Top-10 team 1967.

“This is very special,” Tiawan Mullen said. “I’m not surprised. This is one of the reasons why I came here. It wasn’t going to take five years. I’m not doing it by myself, but I knew it would change when I got here. I expected this.”
 
“Coach Allen came to my home and persuaded us that this was a program on the rise,” Fryfogle added. “My mom believed. My family believed him. We all believed him.
 
“This was the best decision I ever made.”

Today’s victory, which marked the first for the Hoosiers on the road against the Spartans since 2001, saw Indiana taking back the “Old Brass Spittoon” for the first time since 2016.

“This is amazing,” linebacker Micah McFadden said. “We expected this. We talked about it all week, about dominating this team. The offense and defense were making plays. We have to keep doing it. Keep it up.”

The game saw Indiana linebacker Thomas Allen, who is the son of Indiana head coach Tom Allen, carted off the field after he suffered a serious leg injury Saturday.

“It could be serious,” coach Allen said of his son’s injury. “It’s hard to see that and keep coaching, but that’s what you have to do. “He’s a fighter. He’ll find a way to overcome it and play again.”

MICHIGAN STATE STRUGGLES CONTINUE THIS SEASON

Redshirt freshman quarterback Payton Thorne was 10 of 20 for 110 yards and an interception for Michigan State (1-3, 1-3 Big Ten), while starter Rocky Lombardi also struggled, throwing a pair of interceptions when he was asked to lead the offense for the Spartans, who have dropped two in a row.

Senior linebacker Antjuan Simmons ended with a career-high 14 tackles, including a 1-yard tackle for loss, while fellow senior defensive end Jacub Panasiuk also had a career-high nine stops.

“Obviously, turnovers and penalties in the first half, against any type of team, any team, you do not give yourself a chance,” said MSU head coach Mel Tucker.

“That’s basically the story of the game. Guys continue to play hard, we had a shutout in the second half, defense continued to play hard, but we lost the battle of field position.

“We’re going to continue to move forward with our process, which we believe in, which is, stick with the facts, see what happened, look at the film, identify the mistakes and make the corrections – structural, mental or physical.”

COMPLETE GAME BOX SCORE (PDF)