LIVE BLOG: Follow Indiana Football Week 8 Game Against Rutgers

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana returns home for Week 8 matchup against the 5-2 Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

It's a pivotal game for Indiana's season, as it holds a 2-4 record at the midway point. A win would create some momentum for winnable games in the second half of the year, but a loss could lead to a downward spiral.

Follow all the action with our live blog from the the Memorial Stadium press box, with updates and thoughts throughout the game.

3:10 p.m. – Indiana gets a third down stop, but it's all but over now. Rutgers will punt with just over four minutes left in the game, leading by 17.

2:59 p.m. – Jaylin Lucas got rocked on 3rd and 6 on a dangerous pass from Sorsby over the middle of the field. He walked off with trainers. Indiana went for it on 4th and 6, but Sorsby, again, threw it short of the sticks.

2:43 p.m. – Wimsatt fakes out the Indiana defense for an 80-yard touchdown run. Rutgers had been slowly but surely grinding out drives, and that was their most explosive play of the game. It's also likely the dagger. RUTGERS 31, INDIANA 14

2:40 p.m. – Sorsby checks it down to Jaylin Lucas near the line of scrimmage on 3rd and 13 for no gain. That one is perplexing, as Indiana has to be more aggressive with the game on the line in the fourth quarter.

2:37 p.m. – Indiana tries to run a trick play similar, perhaps identical, to the one it scored a touchdown against Michigan with, but Rutgers sniffed it out for a loss. At the end of the third quarter, Rutgers leads 24-14.

2:32 p.m. – Sorsby picks up 11 yards on the ground for an Indiana first down near midfield.

2:26 p.m. – Indiana's defense comes up with a much-needed stop, but a nice Rutgers punt means the Hoosiers will have to go 88 yards to score. And with 4:22 left in the third quarter, time is running out to get back in a position to win this game.

2:20 p.m. – Three-and-out for Indiana to start the second half. The Hoosiers are in big trouble now, as its tired defense is back on the field quickly after a six-minute Rutgers drive.

2:13 p.m. – Wimsatt keeps it on a quarterback sneak, and trudges ahead for a touchdown. RUTGERS 24, INDIANA 14

2:12 p.m. – Indiana calls timeout with its defense backed up on the one-yard line on 1st and goal. I'd be shocked if Rutgers does anything but run the ball until it scores.

2:06 p.m. – Wimsatt picks up a first down on 4th and 4 with a sharp throw to Christian Dremel at the 26-yard line. Rutgers is driving again, and Indiana has offered little resistance in the run game all day. Feels like Wimsatt can pick up five yards with his legs on any given play.

1:36 p.m. – Indiana's defense comes up with a big red zone stop, forcing a Rutgers field goal. It's important that Indiana kept Rutgers out of the end zone, but it's still three points Rutgers should have, due to the muffed punt. Rutgers has 10 points to day, largely thanks to Indiana's special teams mistakes. At halftime, RUTGERS 17, INDIANA 14.

1:34 p.m. – Wimsatt gashes the Indiana defense with a 16 yard run, giving Rutgers 1st and goal. Andre Carter timed the snap perfectly to come up with a tackle for loss on the next play.

1:31 p.m. – Jaylin Lucas muffed the punt, setting up Rutgers in the red zone with 28 seconds left in the half. Special teams are killing Indiana today.

1:28 p.m. – Targeting confirmed on Louis Moore. Indiana is now without two key defensive backs: Noah Pierre (injury) and Moore. Will probably see a lot of Amare Ferrell, Josh Sanguinetti, Jordan Grier and Tyrik McDaniel at safety.

1:20 p.m. – Indiana faked a run up the middle to Trent Howland, then Sorsby kept it and ran to the right, scoring an easy four-yard touchdown. Nice bounce back from Indiana after three drives where nothing worked. INDIANA 14, RUTGERS 14

1:15 p.m. – Rutgers flagged for roughing the passer, moving Indiana across midfield already. A 17-yard run from Trent Howland puts Indiana in the red zone.

1:13 p.m. – Nic Toomer makes a stop for Indiana on 3rd down, but Rutgers offense stays on the field for 4th and 2 on the 42-yard line. Wimsatt keeps it, but he's brought down by Louis Moore for a turnover on downs. Big play for the Indiana defense, setting up the offense with good field position.

1:05 p.m. – Aaron Casey would have had a tackle for loss, but he was flagged for a horse collar tackle, giving Rutgers a first down. Costly mistake for Indiana, as it Rutgers would have punted if not for the penalty.

12:59 p.m. – Sorsby misses what probably should have been an easy completion on first down, then there was no blocking on second down on a run play with Turner. Sorsby hurled it deep on third down, but it flies way out of bounds. That's two consecutibe three-and-outs for Indiana.

12:54 p.m. – Indiana's defense forces a quick three-and-out, with a nice play from Lanell Carr on third down. Rutgers flagged for snap infraction, pushing them back five more yards. An otherwise short Rutgers punt gets a nice roll, so Indiana will take over on its own 38.

12:50 p.m. – Indiana runs it up the middle with Christian Turner on 3rd and 7, and gets just three yards. That's an extremely conservative play call in that situation. Indiana punts.

12:44 p.m. – James Evans' punt was blocked and returned for a touchdown. Looked like there was some pre-snap confusion from Indiana, which led to Shaquan Loyal coming free off the edge and blocking the punt. Eric Rogers scored the touchdown. Seems like Indiana probably should have called a timeout before snapping it there. RUTGERS 14, INDIANA 7

12:39 p.m. – Indiana hurried to snap the ball because Rutgers was still subbing, but the snap to Sorsby went high on the free-play attempt. Anyways, it's an illegal substitution penalty. Sorsby got sacked on 3rd and 13, so Indiana will punt.

12:36 p.m. – Nice play design from Indiana, sending Jaylin Lucas in motion one way, faking the handoff, then having Sorsby run the other way for an easy first down.

12:30 p.m – A Gavin Wimsatt QB sneak caps off a methodical 15-play, 75-yard drive that took 8:09 off the clock. Rutgers ran the ball 13 times, and Indiana had no answer. RUTGERS 7, INDIANA 7

12:27 p.m. – Wimsatt is ruled short within one yard of a touchdown, but Rutgers will have first and goal from inches away.

12:23 p.m. – After review, they gave Rutgers a first down on that last run. Indiana hasn't been able to stop the run at all today.

12:22 p.m. – Rutgers runs a designed quarterback run with Wimsatt on 3rd and 7, and he picks up six yards. Noah Pierre went down after the play Rutgers will probably go for this after the timeout.

12:15 p.m. – Starting NT Philip Blidi went down after Indiana's first defensive play. Rutgers quarterback Gavin Wimsatt scrambled for a first down, bringing Rutgers near midfield.

12:08 p.m. – Indiana went for it on 4th and 7. Sorsby avoided an immediate pass rush, then chucked it deep to Omar Cooper Jr., who was wide open in the end zone. INDIANA 7, RUTGERS 0.

12:03 p.m. – Christian Turner's 11-yard rush gives Indiana another first down and brings the Hoosiers across midfield on their opening drive. James Bomba picked up another first down, but he fell down shortly after. Indiana had a blocker, and Rutgers didn't have many defenders in the area. Could have been a touchdown.

12:02 p.m. – Brendan Sorsby is officially Indiana's starting quarterback today.

11:59 a.m. – Rutgers won the toss and deferred, so Indiana will receive the opening kickoff. Brendan Sorsby, Tayven Jackson and Dexter Williams II are all throwing on the sideline right now.

11:30 a.m. – Brendan Sorsby took snaps from starting center Zach Carpenter, which doesn't mean Sorsby will 100% start at quarterback today, but it's a strong indication based on past pregame warmups. Quarterback Tayven Jackson started last week, and Dexter Williams II is listed questionable for the second consecutive week.

11:15 a.m. – Indiana's pregame availability report for Saturday's game against Rutgers listed three players out: Jamier Johnson, Kaiden Turner and Max Longman. Four players are listed questionable: Dexter Williams, E.J. Williams Jr., Josh Henderson and Zach Carpenter.

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