Sudfeld had a 300-yard game 23 minutes into the game, finishing the half with 301 yards and two touchdowns on 21-for-27 passing while Laviano threw for 216 yards and two scores on 17-25 passing.
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The Hoosiers outgained the Scarlet Knights 351 yards to 319, but have turned the ball over on two failed fourth down attempts.
Following the reinstatement of head coach Kyle Flood on and the return of star wide receiver Leonte Carroo last Wednesday, the Scarlet Knights (2-3, 0-2) will be at the closest to full force and normalcy when they face off with Indiana on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
The 25-point comeback tied a school record that was set last November in a 41-38 win at Maryland.
QB Chris Laviano had a very efficient day for the Scarlet Knights, completing 28 of his 42 pass attempts of the evening for 386 yards, three touchdowns, and an early third-quarter interception. A missed extra point could’ve given Rutgers the lead.
Rutgers absorbed Indiana’s body blows for three quarters.
Rutgers coach Kyle Flood – who returned to the sideline after a three-game suspension – couldn’t have asked for a more exciting welcome back.
Indiana and Rutgers combined for 1,223 yards in offense, 15 touchdowns and 43 plays of 10 or more yards. Mike Majette finished with 83 yards rushing, another career high.
Indiana produced big numbers, too. He also ran for a touchdown and moved into a tie for second on the school’s career list for touchdown passes (45). Indiana had three receivers with over 100 receiving yards apiece: Mitchell Paige caught eight passes for 126 yards, Ricky Jones caught six for 119 and Simmie Cobbs caught seven for 107. Because of that, Indiana needed this win to have a few breathing room and qualify for a bowl.
“We kind of let our guard down in the fourth quarter, ” Sudfeld said after the Hoosiers’ third straight loss. “We just gotta pay attention to the little details and just finish the game”.
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Up until Carroo’s turning-point third touchdown of the game, Indiana had successfully scored seven points on their first four drives of the second half after Rutgers had led 27-24 at halftime. Indiana started 4-0 on the season for the first time since 1990, but it’s lost its past three games – and it’ll be big underdogs in its next three against Michigan State, Iowa and Michigan.
