From the Journal Gazette

Iowa’s A.J. Edds hit Indiana quarterback Ben Chappell from behind. The ball ricocheted off the left hand of Iowa’s Chris Ballard, then the right shoulder of Indiana’s James Brewer, Chappell’s right arm, off the back of Edds and into the hands of Iowa’s Tyler Sash, who returned the interception 86 yards for a Hawkeyes touchdown Saturday.

That was perhaps the most bizarre play that went against IU in an eventual 42-24 loss. There also was a controversial review reversal on a play originally ruled a touchdown, prompting Indiana to ask Big Ten officials for an explanation.

But coach Bill Lynch wouldn’t call the team "snake-bitten."

"There were some crazy plays, but that happens," Lynch said during his news conference at Memorial Stadium. "Instead of thinking, ‘we’re so unlucky, that will never happen again,’ there are things we could have done so that it didn’t happen. That’s what our focus has to be.

"If we give them the out that, ‘it’s bad luck and sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce our way,’ then that’s the way they are going to practice and then they are going to go play Wisconsin hoping the ball bounces our way. You can’t do that."

The Hoosiers (4-5) have lost four of their last five. The last two, at Northwestern and Iowa, were in painful fashion. Still, the players remain upbeat.

"It’s upsetting that we keep losing, but you try to take away from a game like that that we hung in there with a team ranked fourth in the nation," wide receiver Mitchell Evans said. "Our confidence has to stay up there.

"It shows we can play with anybody. Hopefully, we carry that into the next week and we keep playing well but just put together a complete game."

Sash’s interception occurred midway through the third quarter. The replay reversal happened in IU’s next drive.

Lynch didn’t want to address the replay rulings. Wide receiver Terrance Turner appeared to get a foot down before going out of bounds. The play was initially ruled a touchdown, but the ruling was changed to incomplete after review. The drive ended with a missed field goal.

"I don’t want to use the cliché that ‘it’s part of it,’ but it is. It goes on all over the country every Saturday," Lynch said. "It goes on in the NFL on Sundays. We’ve had contact with the Big Ten office, and we have all the confidence in the world that they will handle it appropriately."

Lynch said the replay rulings didn’t come up during his Monday meeting with the team.

"I’m more concerned about the 173 plays, there were 171 other ones that we could get corrected and do our job and execute in key situations. That’s how I look at it," he said. "By noon on Sunday, you are fully engaged on Wisconsin, moving on and seeing the challenges that are there. You have to keep moving forward."

Moving forward, the Hoosiers have to do a better job closing out games.

IU held fourth-quarter leads at Michigan, Northwestern and Iowa.

"The longer the offense has the ball, the more time we run off the clock, it gives them fewer opportunities to make plays," Evans said. "It’s a matter of putting that together and our defense making big stops; forcing three-and-outs. It’s a combination on both sides of the ball."

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