WEST LAFAYETTE — After a two year hiatus the Old Oaken Bucket has found it’s way back to Bloomington after the Hoosiers barely got out of West Lafayette alive with it. Indiana wins the rivalry game 44-41 in overtime. After being up 28-10 with 4 minutes left in the third quarter the Hoosiers did everything in their power to give it away.
In other words they completely wet the bed in the fourth quarter as the Boilermakers came back to knot it up 31-31 to send into the overtime period.
Purdue owned the Bucket the pass two years and the Hoosiers rolling in with 7 wins on the season had something to say about getting it back. However, the injured and banged up Boilermakers weren’t trying to give it up that easily. With a 1:44 left in the third quarter Zander Horvath scored from a yard out to pull the Boilermakers to within 11 points making it 28-17.
With 9:13 left in the fourth Horvath scored again from a yard out making it 28-23. The Boilers attempted a two-point conversion that failed. With 5:08 left the Hoosiers answered with a 42-yard Charles Campbell field goal to make it 31-23. Ole boy missed three on the day but was money on this one.
Purdue kept on fighting and with 2:48 left in regulation they found the end zone once again when Adrian O’Connell found David Bell for a 20 touchdown reception to knot it up at 31-31. Overtime here we come for all of the marbles…well…the Old Oaken Bucket.
Both teams traded touchdowns to start the overtime sending it into the second all knotted up at 38-38.
The Boilermakers got the ball back to start the second overtime as J.D. Dillinger connected on a 34-yard field goal to give the Boilermakers a 41-38 lead. Panic for the Hoosiers on the road? Nope!! Peyton Ramsey throws a 14-yard completion and then hurries everyone to the line of scrimmage to snap it and keep it. TOUCHDOWN HOOSIERS! Ball game!
Indiana finishes the regular season with 8 wins under Tom Allen. It’s the first time since 1993 that the Hoosiers have won 8 games. If they win their bowl game it will tie the school’s single-season record for victories at 9. That’s NUTS!!!!
