Indiana faces big test at OSU

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS

Indiana is fighting fight back.

After another close loss to Michigan, the Hoosiers face a more daunting challenge this week: Preparing for No. 2 Ohio State.

Demoralizing? Yes. Frustrating? Of course. Devastating? Not yet.

“It’s not easy,” quarterback Ben Chappell said after Saturday’s 42-35 loss.

“Stuff like that happens. We’ve just got to keep working, stay together and keep working on finishing games and we’ll come out on top.”

There are indications Indiana is making progress in its rebuilding project.

Coach Bill Lynch said as early as June he knew this would be a good team, and fans hopped on the bandwagon after the Hoosiers started 3-0.

With interest in Indiana football increasing, the Hoosiers had their first sellout since the renovated Memorial Stadium opened last year and topped 50,000 for a home game for the first time — against a foe other than Purdue or Ohio State — since 1992.

Indiana responded with an entertaining shootout.

But instead of energizing the program, as many had hoped, the Hoosiers are again trying to regroup.

“It was a loss, and it just wasn’t enough,” Chappell said.

“I think we knew we could play with them the whole week, and we’re confident, and that’s how we’re going into every game this year. It’s just not easy to come up short.”

The Big Ten schedule-makers aren’t helping matters.

For the second straight year, the Hoosiers open league play with a daunting back-to-back against the league’s two traditional powers.

If Indiana (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) wants to avoid a third straight 0-2 start, well, there’s not time to sulk.

The run defense, which is yielding 207 yards per game, ranks last in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers are No. 9 in scoring defense (25.0 points per game), and they’ve got to contend with another Heisman Trophy candidate in Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor this weekend.