GAME BREAKDOWN
KEY MATCHUP: Indiana running back Stevie Scott vs. Minnesota’s defense. Scott turned in his best Big Ten game against Penn State, rushing for 138 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns. His two previous games above 100 yards were against nonconference opponents. Among true freshman, Scott is first in carries (141), second in yardage (695) and fourth in touchdowns (six). IU coach Tom Allen said Scott should be able to handle the carries he has had so far without hitting a wall. Minnesota is allowing 158.7 rushing yards per game.
DRAFT SLANT
–S Jonathan Crawford, on the Senior Bowl watch list, has started every game in his four-year career. He has 41 tackles, including 30 solos, a sack, three tackles for a loss, an interception, a forced fumble and fumble recovery in the first eight games.
ROSTER REPORT
–RB Morgan Ellison, who led the Hoosiers with 704 rushing yards as a true freshman in 2017, has been dropped as a student by Indiana University. An IU sexual misconduct hearing panel ruled Ellison should be suspended for 2 1/2 years and his appeal was denied last week. Ellison is not being investigated by the police at this point.
–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.
–OL Coy Cronk, a junior starting left tackle, missed the game against Iowa but returned to play against Penn State.
–WR Whop Philyor was able to return to action against Penn State after missing most of three games with a nagging ankle injury, Philyor had four catches for 27 yards against the Nittany Lions.
–DT Jacob Robinson, a senior and veteran presence on the defensive line, missed his fifth consecutive game. His status is questionable.
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