DALLAS (FWAA) The Indiana Hoosiers scored a pair of two-point conversions, one to force overtime and another to win the game in the extra period, to peg the Big Ten's first head-turner of the 2020 season and beat No. 8 Penn State, 36-35. The Hoosiers, for going for the win in overtime and beating a Top-10 team for the sixth time in program history, earned the Reveal Suits National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Oct. 24, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.
This is the third time for Indiana (1-0) to earn the Team of the Week honor and first since 2007. All Division I FBS and FCS schools are eligible to be selected. This is the 19th season for the FWAA to award a Team of the Week.
The win was the Hoosiers' first over a Top-10 opponent at home since 1967 when they beat No. 3 Purdue, 19-14. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s two-point stretch for the pylon in overtime will become one of the iconic images of the 2020 season. Initially set to pass, Penix had to scramble, angling toward the left-side pylon as three Penn State players pursued. Expecting contact short of the goalline, Penix lunged short of the line and extended his inside arm, touching the pylon inches above the field for the winning score.
Penix finished a seven-play, 75-yard drive with a one-yard plunge with 1:42 left, and then ran for the tying two-point conversion to get the game into overtime. He found Whop Philyor with a nine-yard touchdown in overtime to set up the winning play after Penn State scored a touchdown on its overtime possession. Penix finished the game 19-for-36 for 170 yards and the lone touchdown.
Indiana's defense came up with three takeaways to survive being outgained 488-211. Linebacker Micah McFadden had a career-high 11 tackles, all of them solo, and safety Jamar Johnson had 10 tackles and forced a fumble that the Hoosiers recovered at its 9-yard-line.
Indiana travels to Rutgers for a 3:30 p.m. ET game Saturday on BTN.
The other National Team of the Week nominee for the weekend of Oct. 24 is:
Rutgers (1-0): The Scarlet Knights broke a 21-game losing streak in Big Ten play, scoring 21 points off seven takeaways and never trailing in a 38-27 win at Michigan State. Rutgers won its Big Ten opener for the first time since joining the conference in 2014 and won a Big Ten road game for the first time since 2017. It was head coach Greg Schiano's first win since returning to the school. Noah Vedral made his first start at quarterback at Rutgers and finished 18-of-29 for 169 yards and a touchdown.
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Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,300 men and women who cover college football.
The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key
executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas
that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.
For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson
at tiger@fwaa.com.