IU drops golden opportunity vs. Iowa

This is a game story about Indiana’s loss to Iowa this season on a dropped fourth-down pass in the end zone in the closing seconds. The loss would eventually leave the Hoosiers one win short of a bowl game, which was part of the reason Indiana coach Bill Lynch was fired at the end of the year.

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Even though he was on the ground for the end of the play, Indiana quarterback Ben Chappell stood up, turned to the IU sideline and raised his arms in victory.

Why wouldn’t he? The play the Hoosiers called up for fourth-and-10 at the Iowa 18 with 35 seconds left could not possibly have worked better. Damarlo Belcher, the Big Ten’s leading receiver, came open in the end zone between an Iowa linebacker and a safety. Though Iowa’s pressure was bearing down on him, Chappell lofted his pass over the linebacker to the 6-foot-5 wideout whose hands have seemingly never failed him.

Had to be a touchdown. Had to be a stadium-shaking, giant-slaying, job-saving touchdown.

Didn’t it?

IU stuns No. 1 Kentucky

This is the game story after Indiana’s upset of then No. 1 Kentucky. It was awarded first place by the Indiana Associated Press Managing Editors writing competition for deadline sports reporting in its circulation category.

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Within seconds of his picture-perfect, buzzer-beating 3-pointer’s contact with the net on Assembly Hall’s north goal, Christian Watford was prone on the floor and swimming in an ocean of human catharsis.

The Indiana student section didn’t so much storm the court after the Hoosiers stunned No. 1 Kentucky, 73-72, as swallow it whole. The mayhem built outward from the spot where Watford fell on the floor near the scorer’s table on the west sideline and kept getting bigger until fans covered every single wood panel on Branch McCracken Court at Assembly Hall from end to end.

Fans were singing along with he pep band and lifting each other on their shoulders and trying to find players and coaches to whom to express their gratitude. Watford and several of his teammates escaped from beneath the crush of humanity only to bathe in its glow, standing atop the scorer’s table and gesturing to the crowd as if directing some joyful orchestra.

“It was a great feeling,” Watford said. “I haven’t felt anything like that. That’s probably the most memorable moment of my life. It’s the biggest shot, definitely, of my career.”