MSU-Indiana Live Blog

Welcome to the MSU-Indiana live blog. The game starts at noon on ESPN, feel free to leave comments.

3:41 - Post-game thoughts will be up tomorrow, after the game digests. As for now, I'm going to cook, study some Physiology, and rest up for a busy week next week. See y'all later, and thanks for hanging out today.

3:40 - Hoyer takes a knee, and it's game over.

FINAL SCORE: MSU 42, IU 29.

3:39 - Indiana uses its last timeout, and Ringer makes it a 3rd and 1. Ringer gets the first, and Hoyer's gonna take a knee.

3:37 - Call stands. Barring something catastrophic from MSU, this game's done.

3;35 - Lewis completes a pass to Belcher, who fumbles it upon the hit from Rucker. Wiley partially atones for a bad day by picking up the fumble, MSU ball. If this call isn't overturned, the game's essentially over.

3:32 - Lewis drops back to pass, then takes off and barely gets the 1st. The next play is a WR screen that gets nothing. The clock continues to run.

3:31 - IU's gotta go for it on 4th down after Kellen Lewis tried to fumble the ball for a 1st down. Not surprisingly, the Hoosiers take a timeout to think about it.

3:26 - Ringer finally gets stuffed on third down, and Swenson trots onto the field for a short field goal. Do you really think he's going to miss? Nope. MSU 42, IU 29.

3:23 - Great run by Ringer for 33, and he hits another run for 5. I think the Spartans have finally worn IU down.

3:20 - MSU runs it on 1st and 2nd down again. This time though, Ringer gets the 1st down. Run that clock, baby.

3:16 - The Hoosiers commit another stupid personal foul, and move back 15 yards. A failed reverse and a false start make it 3rd and 22. Lewis has to essentially throw it away, and IU's punter takes center stage. The punt goes into the end zone, and MSU will get it at the 20.

3:12 - I think MSU needs to rethink this "hand off to Ringer twice, then have Hoyer throw an incomplete pass" offense. Bates has a subpar punt that just barely makes it into IU territory.

3:09 - Trevor Anderson, despite being held, still makes it to Kellen Lewis for the sack, MSU's 1st of the day. Wiley muffs his 2nd punt of the day, but luckily recovers. Otis just hasn't looked like his previous self in this game.

3:03 GAH! Hoyer just barely overthrows a wide open Cunningham for what would've been a TD. For the third down, he rolls out and throws to an out-of-bounds Dell. Swenson comes on for the field goal...and he's good again from 45 yards out. Great game for Swenson so far, he's hit on all three of his field goals, and they've all been from at least 45 yards out. MSU 39, IU 29.

3:00 - Davis overthrows his receiver, who gets a hand on it, and Fortener intercepts the ball, his second of the day. MSU ball at the IU 39.

2:56 - The third quarter ends. If it weren't for a few boneheaded penalties, IU would be leading this game. That said, they're behind, and I will not rest easy until this game is over, the Hoosiers' offense has been too explosive today.

END OF 3RD QUARTER - MSU 36, IU 29

2:54 - Two runs by ringer down the middle and an incomplete pass by Hoyer means it's punting time. Bates punts it to IU, and it's fair caught at the IU 27.

2:50 - A touchdown by IU is called back by a hold in the end zone, which means...safety for MSU. Talk about a turnaround in momentum. The hold's pretty blatant too, as Justin Kershaw was pretty much tackled by the IU lineman. That's a nine point swing, which makes the score: MSU 36, IU 29.

2:48 - Nope. 2nd and down on the 1 inch line. QB sneak makes it a 3rd and 9.

2:46 - It sure looked to me like MSU had a safety there. Let's see if the officials think the same on this review.

2:45 - The drive stalls at midfield, and Bates has a beautiful punt that goes out at IU's 1.

2:40 - Blair White attones for the 1st down he dropped by catching a beautiful pass by Hoyer. 1st down, MSU.

2:35 - Indiana lines up to go for it on 4th and 12 at midfield...and MSU calls a timeout. Was IU trying to feint? Nope, they're going for it...no they're not. Lewis gets off a nice pooch kick, and the ball's at MSU's 12. Good call by IU, The way this game's going, they'll get the ball back soon enough.

2:31 - Another ball thrown right down the middle of the field for a big Indiana game and a first down. This game is starting to look like the MSU-Northwestern game last year - a whole lot of offense by MSU followed up by the defense giving up huge plays for touchdowns.

2:28 - A promising drive is cut short by a false start penalty for MSU. The punt goes into the end zone, and Indiana will have the ball at their 20. Will the Hoosiers be able to keep momentum up without shooting themselves in the foot again?

2:20 - Reason why IU scored: Wiley went for the big hit instead of wrapping up Thigpen, and missed. C'mon Otis, you're better than that.

2:19 - IU uses said timeout to handoff to Thigpen up the middle for a yard. Lewis throws to Thigpen, the safety whiffs on a tackle, and Thigpen's into the end zone again. XP is good. MSU 34, IU 29.

2:17 - Kellen Lewis is back in for IU...and apparently isn't ready to go yet. Timeout, Hoosiers.

2:15 - KJ from Spartans Weblog: "MSU needs to throw more on first down in the second half." Done and done. Also from KJ: "Can anyone here play defense? This might be really ugly if Lewis were still in the game." MSU's definitely shot themeselves in the foot with pass intereference penalties and that breakdown on the Thigpen TD. That said though, I don't expect IU's current QB to keep completing those 5-10 yard passes. Boleski kicks another touchback.

2:12 - The pass is complete, 1st down MSU at the 1! Ringer goes in ...and the penalty's not a hold! TD MSU! XP is good, and the Spartans couldn't have asked for a better start to the second half. MSU 34, IU 22.

2:10 - Ringer starts off the 2nd half hot with a 14 yard run. Hoyer makes a great play to Cunningham for a 1st and goal at the 1...or does he? The pass is called incomplete, and is under review.

2:09 - Indiana starts off the 2nd half by going three and out, thanks to a good pass breakup by Weaver. Wiley returns the punt to the 50.

1:44 - The squib kick is recovered at the MSU 35. A handoff to Ringer will end the half. Hoyer, besides those balls that were nearly intercepted, has looked great so far. The defense is getting picked apart, but besides that last run by Thigpen, has looked solid on the ground. I hope that MSU can continue to wear down the Hoosier DL so Ringer can break a few in the second half.

HALFTIME - MSU 27, IU 22

1:40 - Just as the defense looked like they were about to create some momentum, Marcus Thigpen runs down the middle of the field untouched for a 78-yard TD. Indiana calls a timeout to go for two...and it's intercepted by Fortener. Indiana's QB makes a two point saving tackle. MSU 27, IU 22.

1:34 - TOUCHDOWN! Hoyer finds a wide open Charlie Gantt around midfield, and Gantt runs through the secondary for an 82 yard score. Pretty amazing feat for a tight end. XP is good. MSU 27, IU 16.

1:32 - Two short runs and an incomplete means IU has a three and out. The punt's away, which is muffed by Wiley, and he has to cover the ball at the MSU 16.

1:27 - The punt's blocked. Luckily, Bates has the athleticism to cover the punt to turn a TD into a safety. MSU 20, IU 16.

1:26 - White misstimes his jump, and drops a sure 1st down. MSU to punt.

1:17 - Yet another pass interference penalty leads to a 1st and Goal, in which Marcus Thigpen runs up the middle untouched for the TD. MSU 20, IU 14.

1:13 - IU wants a timeout to think about a 3rd and 1. Meanwhile, Kellen Lewis is headed to the locker room. I give a 75% chance he won't be back for this game.

1:05 - Hoyer finds a WIDE OPEN (caps for emphasis) Mark Dell in the corner of the end zone. Touchdown MSU, XP is good. MSU 20, IU 7.

1:03 - The screens have been working well for the Spartans today. Ringer for 14 and a first down, and after that, Cunningham for 8 and another 1st down.

1:00 - After getting stuffed on 1st down, the Javon Ringer we know and love makes at least three defenders miss, and gains 23. 1st down, MSU. Add on a pass intereference call on the defense, and MSU's at midfield.

12:58 - Indiana on 3rd and 11 inexplicably calls a draw when the pass game's been working all day. 4th and 8...and they punt on the 36, netting a massive 16 yards of field position. Memo to IU: you have Austin Starr, he can easily make a 53 yard FG. MSU ball.

12:49 - On 1st down, an IU receiver drops a soft throw. A short run up the middle on second down closes out the quarter. Indiana is offically on tilt.

END OF 1ST QUARTER - MSU 13, IU 7

12:46 - Hoyer sneaks it in on 2nd down, Touchdown MSU! Swenson's XP is good. Why are you booing, IU? Three stupid, stupid penalties by your team set this all in motion. MSU 13, IU 7.

12:44 - Interception! The pass is initally broken up, floats in the air, and Ross Weaver returns it to the 10. Add in a late hit out of bounds by IU's QB, no less, and MSU's at the 5. 1st and Goal, MSU.

12:43 - As soon as IU had a good thing going, they kill themselves with two huge penalties. Note to Bill Lynch - don't make a bad thing worse. 2nd and 34, IU.

12:39 - That. was. close. The IU CB drops a sure interception, and Swenson hits from 48. IU 7, MSU 6.

12:35 - MSU gets a false start. Luckily, Ringer rushes for 16 to erase said penalty. As soon as I typed the previous sentence, Hoyer throws a screen to Cunningham for a big gain. Note to Hoyer: just let your receivers do all the work right now. They're talented, they'll get you the passing yards, and it's all you need to do to win this game.

12:29 - Lewis rolls out and finds a wide open Fisher, who runs in untouched. MSU has to defend the short pass better, otherwise they're going to be eaten up by it all game. IU 7, MSU 3.

12:25 - My buddy Paul: "That Beverly Hills Chihuahua commercial better make it into your liveblog." OK, it looks like the best Disney movie since The Lion King V, Rafiki's Revenge. Meanwhile, Indiana is dinking their way down the field with 5-10 yard passes, much like Clausen did in the 3rd quarter of last week's ND game.

12:20 - And, of course, as soon as I say that, he overthrows Martin and nearly gets a pass picked off. Swenson from 45...and it's right down the middle. MSU 3, IU 0.

12:18 - Hoyer's looked good so far with the short passes. Keshawn Martin could be a special WR.

12:16 - 3rd and 2...and Hoyer throws a nice pass to Garrett Celek in the flat for 17. First Down, MSU.

12:12 - Indiana's three plays - tackle by Greg Jones, tackle of Thigpen by Oren Wilson, pass breakup by Danny Fortener. Lovely stuff, that MSU defense. Punt goes into the endzone.

12:09 - Hoyer throws a pass right on Dell's hands...and the ball bounces right off. Michigan State to punt, which is fair caught on the IU 30.

12:07 - Two plays in, and there's a clock stoppage. What do you expect from the state that held out from Daylight Savings Time for so long.

12:03 - Here we go! Indiana's kicking to the Spartans. The kick's off...and Ringer gets to the 25.

12:02 - There's the Old Brass Spitoon, sponsored by Skoal and Kodiak.

12:00 - I would've loved to see the jump in logic 'Bama did to have their mascot be an elephant from Crimson Tide. I'm sure there's a reason somewhere, but I'm not going to spend the time looking for it, because the game's about to start.

11:50 - Chris Fowler - "This is a classic MSU letdown game." Fair enough, but Indiana's secondary is decimated. The only letdown here will be if Hoyer doesn't throw a touchdown. And, of course, Corso just puts MSU on upset alert, and says IU will upset MSU. Poor Lee, he must still think he's coaching in Bloomington.

11:45 - 16 minutes to kickoff. I'm afraid for what the Georgia fans are going to do to Corso if he puts the...uh...hmmmm. How do you represent 'Bama again? Anyway, I think he's going to pick Georgia, mainly because he...AND THEY JUST SHOWED THAT DANG OLIVE GARDEN COMMERCIAL WITH THE "YOU DO THE MATH, I'LL DO THE ALFREDO!" LINE. Breathe...breathe...all right. If I have to see that commercial all day, my laptop's going through the TV.

11:07 - Currently watching GameDay. Poster seen: Knowshon Moreno hurdling Earth, which seems a bit under his talents.