COLUMN: 2022 Indiana football can surpass its 2021 self by beating Western Kentucky

Indiana soccer is off to a very good begin in its 2022 season. Enhancing their report to 2-0 towards the College of Idaho final weekend, the Hoosiers have already matched their 2021 win whole. Sure, final season was that dangerous. 

Hoosier followers are beginning to get cautiously optimistic concerning the 2022 marketing campaign, and for good motive. Favored heading into their matchup towards Western Kentucky College, Indiana has an opportunity to begin 3-0 for the primary time since their astonishing 2020 season, through which they went 6-2 in a COVID-shortened marketing campaign. 

Nonetheless, the Hoosiers shouldn’t overlook the Hilltoppers this weekend. Particularly contemplating how their victory over Idaho began: trailing 10-0 at halftime. Indiana can’t anticipate to win enjoying only one half of fine soccer. 

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Western Kentucky gave Indiana a run for its cash final season and are in search of revenge. Whereas the Hoosiers by no means trailed of their 33-31 win, they wanted each little bit of their season-high 507 yards of offense to maintain up with the potent Hilltopper offense.  

This season is a very totally different matchup, nevertheless. Each groups misplaced their main passers, rushers, receivers and tacklers and help totally different playstyles.  

Final season was an air-raid contest between then-Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and then-Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe, who mixed for 97 go makes an attempt. Saturday’s sport ought to see each groups extra balanced offensively, particularly if the Hoosiers can break off runs like they did towards Idaho. 

Indiana’s sport will even maintain some particular significance for a pair gamers specifically. For the Hoosiers, graduate-student broad receiver D.J. Matthews misplaced his season towards the Hilltoppers in 2021, tearing his ACL within the Indiana win. Matthews has had a stellar season up to now in 2022 and hopes to beat final season’s misfortune. 

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For Western Kentucky, redshirt junior operating again Davion Ervin-Poindexter returns to Bloomington after spending three seasons as a Hoosier. Because the Hilltoppers’ main rusher this season, he’ll have loads of alternatives to indicate off his price towards his former group. 

Ought to Indiana followers be frightened about this matchup? That is determined by which Indiana group will present up on Saturday: the group who eased down the sector towards Idaho within the second half, or the group who couldn’t rating within the first half? 

If I have been a betting man, I’d like Indiana as a 6.5-point favourite. The Hoosiers get their first daytime sport of the season, and Memorial Stadium ought to anticipate a very good crowd. Indiana’s offense seemed good within the second half final weekend, and its protection seemed impenetrable within the third quarter. 

Trying farther forward, does a win on Saturday put bowl expectations on the Hoosiers? Is it that outrageous to say? 

It’s clear this group is totally totally different from 2021, and this system had certified for bowls within the earlier two seasons. A 3-0 report would surge Indiana into severe postseason hopes, though it has little room for error with its brutal schedule.