Biggest Wins in IU Football History

[Bowlmania]

Yesterday's big win in Lincoln got me thinking about the biggest wins in program history (modern era). Here's my list. Obviously it's just one guy's opinion, and I readily acknowledge there might be a big one I've overlooked, so please weigh in and/or add more to get to 10:

1. November 24, 1945 (Bloomington) IU 26, #18 Purdue 0. This capped an undefeated season, our only outright Big Ten championship, and a #4 national ranking
2. November 25, 1967 (Bloomington) IU 19, #3 Purdue 14. We finished the season as conference co-champions, were ranked #4 nationally, and played O.J. and USC in the Rose Bowl.
3. October 10, 1987 (Columbus, OH) IU 31, #9 Ohio State 10. Earle Bruce's "darkest day." Enough said.
4. October 24, 1987 (Bloomington) IU 14, #20 Michigan 10. Another huge win en route to an eight win season.
5. December 21, 1979 (San Diego, CA) IU 38, #9 BYU 37. Maybe this Holiday Bowl win should be higher, as it was Indiana's first bowl win in program history.
6. October 8, 1988 (Bloomington) IU 41, Ohio State 7. The last time we beat the Buckeyes.
7. November 17, 2007 (Bloomington) IU 27, Purdue 24. Austin Starr kicks a game-winning 47 yard FG late in the 4th Quarter to cap a seven win "Play 13" season that honored the late Coach Hep.
   
8. October 26, 2019 (Lincoln, NE) IU 38, Nebraska 31. Indiana gets its biggest conference road win in 30 years, improves to 6-2, and secures bowl eligibility.

 

[13thman]

1986 at MSU. We became bowl eligible just 2 years after being 0-11. This game was all Van Waiters.

 

[hoosier roadtrips]

It didn't matter much in the total season, but the 2004 victory at Oregon that I attended was a tremendous thrill and totally unexpected since the Ducks rarely lost at Autzen Stadium.

 

[mushroomgod_1]

Yesterday's big win in Lincoln got me thinking about the biggest wins in program history (modern era). Here's my list. Obviously it's just one guy's opinion, and I readily acknowledge there might be a big one I've overlooked, so please weigh in and/or add more to get to 10:

1. November 24, 1945 (Bloomington) IU 26, #18 Purdue 0. This capped an undefeated season, our only outright Big Ten championship, and a #4 national ranking
2. November 25, 1967 (Bloomington) IU 19, #3 Purdue 14. We finished the season as conference co-champions, were ranked #4 nationally, and played O.J. and USC in the Rose Bowl.
3. October 10, 1987 (Columbus, OH) IU 31, #9 Ohio State 10. Earle Bruce's "darkest day." Enough said.
4. October 24, 1987 (Bloomington) IU 14, #20 Michigan 10. Another huge win en route to an eight win season.
5. December 21, 1979 (San Diego, CA) IU 38, #9 BYU 37. Maybe this Holiday Bowl win should be higher, as it was Indiana's first bowl win in program history.
6. October 8, 1988 (Bloomington) IU 41, Ohio State 7. The last time we beat the Buckeyes.
7. November 17, 2007 (Bloomington) IU 27, Purdue 24. Austin Starr kicks a game-winning 47 yard FG late in the 4th Quarter to cap a seven win "Play 13" season that honored the late Coach Hep.
   
8. October 26, 2019 (Lincoln, NE) IU 38, Nebraska 31. Indiana gets its biggest conference road win in 30 years, improves to 6-2, and secures bowl eligibility.

Can't quibble with this as a post-WW2 list...only change I'd make for sure is to switch '45 & '67........given that we were strongly favored in '45 and an underdog in '67, and the '67 game was a nail biter.

I'd nominate 3 other IU-Pudue games for consideration......1930...IU wins at WL as an underdog, 7-6. First IU OOB win.....1962...IU wins 12-7 breaking a Purdue string of 14 wins and 1 tie. Marv Woodson returned an int 93 yds for a TD in the second quarter, and the score held up through the end of the game....1988...IU's biggest OOB win, 52-7, at WL.

Those interested in the OOB series might want to check out a website about the OOB rivalry jointly created ny IU & Purdue.....one thing surprised me......The OOB is the second oldest college rivalry trophy...only the Little Brown Jg is older.......

 

[13thman]

Can't quibble with this as a post-WW2 list...only change I'd make for sure is to switch '45 & '67........given that we were strongly favored in '45 and an underdog in '67, and the '67 game was a nail biter.

I'd nominate 3 other IU-Pudue games for consideration......1930...IU wins at WL as an underdog, 7-6. First IU OOB win.....1962...IU wins 12-7 breaking a Purdue string of 14 wins and 1 tie. Marv Woodson returned an int 93 yds for a TD in the second quarter, and the score held up through the end of the game....1988...IU's biggest OOB win, 52-7, at WL.

Those interested in the OOB series might want to check out a website about the OOB rivalry jointly created ny IU & Purdue.....one thing surprised me......The OOB is the second oldest college rivalry trophy...only the Little Brown Jg is older.......

I'll assume you're talking about Div 1 schools only because the Monon Bell has gone on much longer.

 

[Bowlmania]

Here's one more: September 29, 2007 in Iowa City (score: IU 38, Iowa 20), a crucial road win that contributed to our seven win total that season (and six wins wasn't going to be enough to go bowling that year).

 

[Bowlmania]

It didn't matter much in the total season, but the 2004 victory at Oregon that I attended was a tremendous thrill and totally unexpected since the Ducks rarely lost at Autzen Stadium.

Yeah, that's why I didn't include, for example, the win at #18 Mizzou in 2014. It looked huge at the time, but we finished the season 4-8 so it was pretty inconsequential.

 

[Euro]

Oldest continuest rivalry west of the Allegneys

I'll assume you're talking about Div 1 schools only because the Monon Bell has gone on much longer.