Tevin Coleman sat on the Indiana bench, certain of the outcome.
As No. 18 Missouri prepared to snap the football from Indiana’s 20-yard line with three minutes and 14 seconds left on the clock of a game that was closer than most expected, tied at 24, Coleman knew how it would end.
The Hoosiers’ 31-27 upset of Mizzou wasn’t yet final, but to Coleman, who came into the game averaging over 200 yards per game, it was already decided.
“We knew that this was going to happen,” Coleman said.
With Missouri in the red zone, Coleman spoke little to his teammates or coaches. When Mizzou offensive guard Brad McNulty committed a false start — the Tigers’ fifth of the day — Coleman clapped.
After Missouri junior kicker Andrew Baggett made a 40-yard field goal to put Mizzou up 27-24, the Indiana offense took the field at Hoosier 25-yard line with 2:20 left in the game.
“We’ve got this thing in Round 15,” Indiana coach Kevin Wilson told his team before its last offensive drive. “It’s a one-possession round. We’ve hit them as much as they’ve hit us, so the card is about even.”
Coleman walked casually, calmly. He didn’t appear anxious. He didn’t act like he needed to make up for the majority of the first half he missed with a cramp.
Six plays into the drive, Coleman got the ball on a screen pass near the Indiana sideline. He ran 44 yards down the sideline.
After Mizzou safety Braylon Webb was charged with a facemask penalty on the play — one of the Tigers’ ten penalties of the day — Indiana had the ball at Missouri’s seven-yard line.
It was Coleman’s last play of the game. He ended the game with 134 rushing yards and 57 yards receiving.
Two plays later, D’Angelo Roberts rushed into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown, his second score of the game.
“I love him,” Coleman said of Roberts. “He’s my brother.”
Indiana went 75 yards on six plays in a minute and 58 seconds. All but one of the Hoosiers’ four touchdown drives in the game lasted less than two minutes.
“We’re a fast tempo offense, so it really doesn’t feel any different,” Indiana quarterback Nate Sudfeld said.
As the Indiana offense returned to the sideline, with just 22 seconds left on the clock, Roberts was embraced by his teammates.
“We earned this, man,” one offensive lineman said. “We own this shit.”
Indiana held its own with Missouri the whole game. A week after losing to Bowling Green, the Hoosiers played dead even with the Tigers. Indiana ran 83 offensive plays; Mizzou ran 82. Mizzou had 27 first downs, so did the Hoosiers.
Missouri was far better on third down than Indiana — five of 16 versus one of 14 — but Indiana was good on both of its fourth-down conversions.
So after Mizzou freshman wide receiver Lawrence Lee was tackled and the clock struck zero, the Hoosiers stormed the field, acting like they owned Memorial Stadium.
But a roughing the passer penalty was called against Indiana, giving Mizzou quarterback Maty Mauk one last chance to heave it to the end zone.
The Hoosiers had to make their way back to the sideline. But the Missouri offensive linemen already had their helmets pulled up, showing their sweaty, tired faces — as though they wanted to lift away the nightmare that this game had been.
A play later, Mauk’s pass attempt to senior Marcus Murphy was good. Unlike much of the game, he wasn’t escaping pressure. But Murphy got hit before he could execute the hook and ladder Missouri was attempting. Mauk padded his stats — 28-47 for 326 yards — but came away empty.
“Does that count?” an Indiana player asked, already knowing the answer.
After the game was over, the Missouri players made their way off of Faurot Field, many of them not saying anything. Junior running back Russell Hansbrough, who ran for 119 yards on 10 carries, walked alone.
“They out-executed us,” senior offensive lineman Mitch Morse said. “For the most part, we just weren’t playing Mizzou football.”
Missouri coach Gary Pinkel wouldn’t make excuses for his team. Pinkel said the Tigers had to make up for senior captain and defensive end Markus Golden being out with a hamstring injury, not dwell on it.
Wilson said his team talks often about “knocking on the door.” Today they knocked it down.
“Beats losing,” he said.