The fourth-ranked Indiana Hoosiers escaped again on Saturday.
The defending national champions were able to breathe a collective sigh of relief after a 23-16 overtime victory over unranked Minnesota in its second consecutive overtime game. Last week, the Hoosiers won 13-6 at Michigan.
INDIANA OUTLASTS MICHIGAN IN OVERTIME FOR FIRST WIN AT BIG HOUSE SINCE 1967
This week, backup quarterback Grant Wilson found Charlie Becker for a 25-yard touchdown on the first play of the extra period. The Hoosiers then stopped Minnesota on its ensuing possession.
The Golden Gophers took a 16-13 lead with 19 seconds to go on Luke Drzewiecki’s career-long 60-yard field goal. But Charlie Becker’s 33-yard catch set up Paddy McAteer for a career-long 60-yarder to tie it as time expired.
Minnesota fell to 0-13 against defending national champs and still has not beaten Top 25 opponents in back-to-back weeks since 1956.
Indiana pulled struggling starting quarterback Josh Hoover at halftime after he took a big hit on his second interception of the season. Two late replay reviews then overturned potential game-changing plays: one erased a go-ahead touchdown pass, while the other nullified an interception that would have put Indiana deep in Minnesota territory in the final minutes.
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Wilson finished with 156 passing yards and a touchdown after Hoover recorded 119 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Becker caught eight passes for 149 yards and the game-winning touchdown.
Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey completed 20 passes for 120 yards and one touchdown. Javon Tracy had seven receptions for 40 yards.
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Minnesota will host No. 7 UCLA next Saturday, while Indiana will have a bye before hosting Southern California on Nov. 14.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.