GAME BREAKDOWN
KEY MATCHUP: Indiana’s defense vs. Maryland’s running game. Indiana’s defensive mission will be to control the big plays. “Really they force you to be extremely disciplined,” Indiana University coach Tom Allen said of Maryland. “Even though it’s not an option offense, the way that they shift, move, adjust, motion, different things that they do, it forces you to be extremely disciplined. If you get out of position, they’re very, very athletic. You make one guy miss, it’s a big, big play. They really survive off big plays. Kind of the way they’ve had success this season. To me the key is gap integrity, just with our eyes, got to be great tacklers.” Redshirt freshman Anthony McFarland has a team-high 514 yards with a long run of 64, followed by senior Ty Johnson with 471 with a long run of 81. Johnson has averaged 7.6 yards per carry for his career.
DRAFT SLANT
–S Jonathan Crawford, on the Senior Bowl watch list, has started every game in his four-year career. He has 47 tackles, including 33 solos, a sack, three tackles for a loss, an interception and a forced fumble.
ROSTER REPORT
–QB Michael Penix Jr. completed 9-of-19 passes for 94 yards against Penn State before suffering a season-ending ACL tear. It was Penix’s third game of the season.
–WR Whop Philyor was able to return to action against Penn State after missing most of three games with nagging ankle injury, Philyor had four catches for 27 yards against the Nittany Lions and one catch for 14 yards against Minnesota.
–DT Jacob Robinson, a senior and veteran presence on the defensive line, missed his sixth consecutive game against Minnesota. His status is questionable.
–K Logan Justus is one of 20 Lou Groza Award semifinalists. Justus has 23-of-24 extra-points and 11-of-13 field goals.
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