Indiana looks for better finish vs. Ohio State
The Indiana Hoosiers feel like they are watching movie sequels each time they see tape of their most recent games against Ohio State: Competitive for three quarters before wearing down in the fourth. On Saturday, they will try to rewrite the script with a surprise twist when the No. 6ranked Buckeyes come to town.
“The bottom line is that we have to finish,” coach Tom Allen said. “It’s not about just competing with them and feeling good about that. Certain stages of your program you feel that’s what you want to do and to me, we’ve been there and we’ve done that. Now we’ve got to finish.”
Of course, it won’t be easy. Indiana (2-0) has lost 23 consecutive games in this series dating to a tie in 1990. Two years ago in Allen’s head coaching debut, the Hoosiers were trailing, 20-17, late in the third quarter before losing, 49-21. A year ago in Columbus, they were down, 35-26, after three before falling, 49-26.
Clemson
Top-ranked Clemson plays its first road game Saturday night, and the Tigers have good reason to be wary. The opponent is Syracuse, which has given the Tigers fits the past two times these teams have met and will have a packed and roaring Carrier Dome on its side. “It’s always a good challenge to go on the road. It’s just different,” Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence said. “Last time the team went to Syracuse, I wasn’t on the team, but they beat us. So we’ll have some motivation going into the game.”
Alabama
The university is offering an incentive for students to stay inside Bryant-Denny Stadium for the entire game by utilizing location tracking through a new phone application. The app monitors when students enter the stadium for Crimson Tide games, and when they leave. Students receive 100 Tide Loyalty Points for attending a home football game and 250 points per game for staying all four quarters. Those points can then be used toward priority access to student football tickets.
Hawaii
Coach Nick Rolovich is having some fun with Hawaii’s start to the season to the point of tweeting a picture of the Rose Bowl logo. “I think beating two Pac-12 teams has given them a little bit of belief that they can handle it,” Rolovich said. Hawaii will get its shot at improving to 3-0 against the Pac-12 when it leaves the islands for the first time this season to face No. 23 Washington. “They know Washington has been better than Arizona and Oregon State in the Pac-12,” Rolovich said. “They understand it’s on the road, it’s going to be loud, it’s going to be wet. We’ve got to get on a plane for the first time this year, but I think this team will handle it well.”