‘We’re not done yet’: Indiana football finally reaps benefits of hard work and sees ‘game day success’

The Indiana football program went into Saturday’s matchup with Wisconsin knowing it needed a win to remain bowl eligible. It’s also the same mindset that the Hoosiers need for the remaining three games of the season.

Following a 20-14 win over the Badgers, Indiana moved to 3-6 on the season and 1-5 in Big Ten play.

The performance was a testament to the culture that Tom Allen has built — and also the leadership among the players.

“I just attribute it to our culture, I really do,” Allen said postgame. “Our kids believe in what we’re doing. They care about each other. It’s way bigger than just a guy out there making plays for himself. They believe in what we’re doing. I think that just showed in the way they played the last couple weeks. That’s a tough road game, a tough crowd, tough to muster after a disappointing loss. A game we all knew we needed to win. Now you got to go on the road to play a top-10 team in the country. You saw the response.”

Indiana was just 2-21 in its last 23 Big Ten games entering Saturday. Despite a tough loss to No. 10 Penn State last week after a really strong performance, the messaging remained consistent from the coaches. And it paid off on Saturday — with their backs up against the wall.

“I think it’s a testament to our leadership,” Allen said. “We got you two six-year seniors, Noah and Aaron Casey, Michael on offense, been here a long time as well. Those kind of guys. Matt Bedford is a guy that has elevated in his leadership on the offensive side of the football. I think that matters. Cam Camper, he’s quiet as well. He cares a bunch. He’s a guy that helps lead. I’d say it’s our culture, the leadership on our team and our coaches. They’re just continuing to be relentless.”

Coming into this week, Indiana had been outscored 183-65 in Big Ten play. It appeared another season was slipping away.

A bowl game seemed all but gone — for the third straight season. Now, while still an uphill climb for the Hoosiers, a bowl game is still alive.

Saturday’s performance was exactly what this Indiana football team needed and now it’s a potential confidence builder as it enters the final stretch of the season.

“I tell you, it gives you a lot of confidence. There’s nothing like game day success,” Allen said. “I said it for the last several weeks. We need some game day success, reinforce, give them some positive energy to say, Man, if you just stay the course, you’re going to be rewarded on game day. They finally got it today.”

“We believe that we can still go to a bowl game,” IU quarterback Brendan Sorsby said postgame. “We believe this is a good team, and we’re not done yet like we showed out there today.”

The next three games for Indiana: at Illinois, vs Michigan State, at Purdue.

The three programs are combined 9-18 this season and 4-14 in Big Ten play.

“The goal is to be 1-0 after each week. That’s been the focus, the playoff mentality. We know we got to win each week. We don’t talk beyond whoever is next,” Allen said.

“It’s earmuffs and blinders every single week. Come back to work, no matter what happened, good or bad, attack the next day. Easier said than done, no doubt. Definitely hard to do. To see them rewarded for that today is pretty special. We know we got to go do it again next week. We’re going to enjoy this for 24 hours.”

While you can’t throw out the first half of the season, if the last two weeks are any indication, Indiana may have found some late-season magic.

SEE ALSO: Indiana football holds off Wisconsin to earn first Big Ten victory of the season

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