Worst IU football game I can remember

[GeddyHoosier]

IU has an awful lot of bad football in its storied history, but today’s pathetic performance might be the worst I’ve ever seen. Getting blown out by OSU or Michigan is one thing, but putting up zero effort against Rutgers at home is beyond belief. Thinking back over the last 25 years or so, the only games that come close to today’s embarrassment would have to be:

UCONN 2006. IU finishes with 0 yards rushing after gaining 2 yards on the final play. About 20,000 in the stands on a rainy September day.

Kentucky 1996? The 3-0 game

Purdue 2008: Tillers last game and I had the pleasure of freezing my tail off at Ross-Ade watching that IU team put up as much fight as today’s game.

That’s what I remember off the top of my head. Help me out IU football historians with some of your lowlights in program history, Like I said, I know there is plenty to choose from.

 

[ce36ei]

UConn 2006. I remember it well. I swore I was done with them after they lose to Southern Illinois. I didn’t go to the game. Then I think it was a close game at halftime. I got in the car, made it for the second half just to see the end result. My wife still makes fun of me for it. I just. Can’t. Quit. 😬

 

[hoosierfan13]

I went to both the UConn and Purdue games. The UConn game was actually fun since they were just as bad.

 

[Lucy01]

LEO🥴

 

[Carib04]

I dunno.....it's more than 25 years ago but IU v Nebraska (1978) with I M Hipp running crazy and IU down 28-0 in the first Qtr does it for me.

 

[IUHartselCol]

I dunno.....it's more than 25 years ago but IU v Nebraska (1978) with I M Hipp running crazy and IU down 28-0 in the first Qtr does it for me.

My freshman year at IU. UGH! I was 28 years old and a USMC combat vet and thought I had seen ugly...I still cringe at the memory of that game.

 

[ce36ei]

2002 Penn State was kinda ugly. 20 degrees, field was spray painted sand. Somehow we led in the 2nd QTR then PSU scored like 40 points in a row. Larry Johnson ran for like 350 yards. Fun times. It was no doubt the lowest attended IU game I’ve ever been to. There was maybe 15 or 20 thousand people there. I’m sure paid was much higher…but nobody showed up.

 

[4IUSox2]

Re Lack of Effort, Just sticking with games I’ve been at:

UK at IU ‘84. Think it was 48-13 in Mallory’s home opener. How bad was it? The UK punter RAN for a TD along the West/IU sideline from mid-field only because EVERY IU guy turned around to run back to block.

IU at Wisconsin ‘94. 62-13 with a 49 zip halftime score. Found out at the pre-game tailgater from Jamie Baisley’s parents (whom I didn’t know, but were mutual friends of our hosts), that the IU plane got in after midnight due to mechanical problems. Was an 11.30 AM start. Had come in 3-0


‘97 UK at IU, 49-7. The infamous Black Jersey game. Think this was home game #2 of the Cameron era.

‘99 at Wisconsin, a 59 to zip yawner. Not sure IU had 100 yards in the game.

 

[Carib04]

Re Lack of Effort, Just sticking with games I’ve been at:

UK at IU ‘84. Think it was 48-13 in Mallory’s home opener. How bad was it? The UK punter RAN for a TD along the West/IU sideline from mid-field only because EVERY IU guy turned around to run back to block.

IU at Wisconsin ‘94. 62-13 with a 49 zip halftime score. Found out at the pre-game tailgater from Jamie Baisley’s parents (whom I didn’t know, but were mutual friends of our hosts), that the IU plane got in after midnight due to mechanical problems. Was an 11.30 AM start. Had come in 3-0


‘97 UK at IU, 49-7. The infamous Black Jersey game. Think this was home game #2 of the Cameron era.

‘99 at Wisconsin, a 59 to zip yawner. Not sure IU had 100 yards in the game.

I was at that UK in 84. Last game I went to in Memorial stadium. It is seared in my memory everyone turning their backs to the punter and running back to the guy setting up for the catch. So sad yet comical at the same time.

 

[mushroomgod_1]

I dunno.....it's more than 25 years ago but IU v Nebraska (1978) with I M Hipp running crazy and IU down 28-0 in the first Qtr does it for me.

I go back to 1966, and I believe this Rutgers game was the worst I've ever seen.

I was also at the '78 Nebraska game. I believe it was more like this RU game than others which have been mentioned on this thread, because most of the other games were from teams concerning which we had little or no expectations. The '78 Nebraska contest was one of those "turning the corner" games where we got around the corner and were hit by a semi-truck. But the reason I say this one was worse, and the worst of all IU time, was that it combines 0 effort and a team that has a certain amount of talent. I don't remember lack of effort being the issue v. Nebraska, We were just strikingly out-classed. The thing I remember most about that game, other than how great IM Hipp looked, was that the Nebraska OL looked to be made up of granite people with no necks. They would block our DL and there would be no person left standing within 5 feet of the RB.

 

[82IU]

2002 Penn State was kinda ugly. 20 degrees, field was spray painted sand. Somehow we led in the 2nd QTR then PSU scored like 40 points in a row. Larry Johnson ran for like 350 yards. Fun times. It was no doubt the lowest attended IU game I’ve ever been to. There was maybe 15 or 20 thousand people there. I’m sure paid was much higher…but nobody showed up.

I, unfortunately was one of those fans there for that game as well. Coldest game I had been to, including this past Saturday. At least the Hoosiers didn't give up like they looked liked they did last Saturday. 😞
82

 

[welshman#]

With this question I generally keep coming back to the Lynch-Wisconsin debacle

that wasn’t merely one football team looking like it didn’t belong on the field—it was one football program looking like it didn’t belong in the NCAA

 

[MyTeamIsOnTheFloor]

UK 3 IU 0 was the worst college football game ever played.

So glad I was there.

No more bottom for this boy.

 

[zeke4ahs]

I dunno.....it's more than 25 years ago but IU v Nebraska (1978) with I M Hipp running crazy and IU down 28-0 in the first Qtr does it for me.

I was running late and got in the game about 2 minutes after it started. Already 14 to 0. I. M. Hipp remains one of the greatest names ever.

 

[Crayfish57]

I was running late and got in the game about 2 minutes after it started. Already 14 to 0. I. M. Hipp remains one of the greatest names ever.

Jarvis Redwine? close anyway

 

[Chriselli]

Ball State I, II, III
Kentucky 04
Virginia 10
North Texas 11
Bowling Green 14
Purdue 17
Rutgers 21

The worst of the worst of the worst. Sure, we've been destroyed by good teams in the past, but these were all pretty terrible teams with the exception of Ball State I.

 

[abraxis]

I dunno.....it's more than 25 years ago but IU v Nebraska (1978) with I M Hipp running crazy and IU down 28-0 in the first Qtr does it for me.

I was at that game, too. It was my first date with my future wife. We lasted 16 years. She never became an IU fan.

 

[oldcougar77]

I go back to 1966, and I believe this Rutgers game was the worst I've ever seen.

I was also at the '78 Nebraska game. I believe it was more like this RU game than others which have been mentioned on this thread, because most of the other games were from teams concerning which we had little or no expectations. The '78 Nebraska contest was one of those "turning the corner" games where we got around the corner and were hit by a semi-truck. But the reason I say this one was worse, and the worst of all IU time, was that it combines 0 effort and a team that has a certain amount of talent. I don't remember lack of effort being the issue v. Nebraska, We were just strikingly out-classed. The thing I remember most about that game, other than how great IM Hipp looked, was that the Nebraska OL looked to be made up of granite people with no necks. They would block our DL and there would be no person left standing within 5 feet of the RB.

I was there as well - my soph year at IU. The air was out of the stadium before most of the crowd was in the seats.

Nebraska had a massive tight end named Junior Miller who ran all over IU. On his Sunday show the next day Corso remarked, "man, look at Junior Miller. I would sure hate to play against Senior Miller".

 

[Radio Zero]

I was there as well - my soph year at IU. The air was out of the stadium before most of the crowd was in the seats.

Nebraska had a massive tight end named Junior Miller who ran all over IU. On his Sunday show the next day Corso remarked, "man, look at Junior Miller. I would sure hate to play against Senior Miller".

Corso had a Sunday television show? Was it good?

EDIT. Second question.

 

[oldcougar77]

Corso had a Sunday television show? Was it good?

EDIT. Second question.

Yep, Channel 4 at 11am or noon. He showed clips of the previous day's game with commentary that was comedy gold. He also had a a guest on each week to pick next week's scores of Big Ten and national games. Most years, it was the best part of IU football.

 

[Greensboro Hoosier]

So many games. So much disappointment. But my dad taking me to the games and Tumbleweed in Salem on the way home were special.

 

[abraxis]

I was there as well - my soph year at IU. The air was out of the stadium before most of the crowd was in the seats.

Nebraska had a massive tight end named Junior Miller who ran all over IU. On his Sunday show the next day Corso remarked, "man, look at Junior Miller. I would sure hate to play against Senior Miller".

Corso was always upbeat and good with a quip. I think it kept him around longer than what it should. How can you not like the guy? I remember being at the Iowa game his final season. During the game a small private plane flew over the stadium, shortly afterwards "snowing" onto everyone little pieces of paper typed with "Can Corso". I felt sorry for the man-it had to be embarrassing for him. One favorite quip of his was always referring to the Bucket Game as his "job saver" game. Ironically, his last game as IU coach was a Bucket Game won in West Lafayette, 13-7. He was fired later that evening, as I recall. The game didn't save his job after all.

 

[ams66]

I dunno.....it's more than 25 years ago but IU v Nebraska (1978) with I M Hipp running crazy and IU down 28-0 in the first Qtr does it for me.

My first IU game. I was 12. Sat there in the rain until late but yeah it was really all over after the first quarter. Final 69-17.

 

[13thman]

Yep, Channel 4 at 11am or noon. He showed clips of the previous day's game with commentary that was comedy gold. He also had a a guest on each week to pick next week's scores of Big Ten and national games. Most years, it was the best part of IU football.

He always had a play of the game and finished it with the quote "What a coach. "

 

[13thman]

Yep, Channel 4 at 11am or noon. He showed clips of the previous day's game with commentary that was comedy gold. He also had a a guest on each week to pick next week's scores of Big Ten and national games. Most years, it was the best part of IU football.

I remember him being on channel 6 the year after he was fired and would predict the biggest BIG game for the upcoming weekend. I don't think he missed one all year.

 

[oldcougar77]

Corso was always upbeat and good with a quip. I think it kept him around longer than what it should. How can you not like the guy? I remember being at the Iowa game his final season. During the game a small private plane flew over the stadium, shortly afterwards "snowing" onto everyone little pieces of paper typed with "Can Corso". I felt sorry for the man-it had to be embarrassing for him. One favorite quip of his was always referring to the Bucket Game as his "job saver" game. Ironically, his last game as IU coach was a Bucket Game won in West Lafayette, 13-7. He was fired later that evening, as I recall. The game didn't save his job after all.

Yeah. He was on his way to Fort Wayne to sign Rod Woodson and heard it on his car radio. And we all know how that turned out.

Looking back I think Corso did a better job than most of us thought at the time. We played a much more difficult non-conference schedule when he was here and we were a dead bottom feeder in the Big Ten when it came to facilities, assistant coaching salaries, recruiting budgets, etc. He recruited some dynamic players but we never had depth. Injuries took a toll most years.

I had a conversation with him in the airport in Orlando in the early 1990's and he was gracious and genuine. He was a big fan of Bill Mallory. My roomate played for him for two years as a walk-on DB and Corso still remembered the guy (no bs either - he remembered that he was an ROTC guy without me mentioning that fact). We talked about the Holiday Bowl season and he mentioned that the success was in large part due to the fact that we were mostly injury free the whole year and there was very little shuffling of players necessary, which always seemed to plague IU.

If he had the benefit of today's 12-game schedule, especially before we went to 9 conference games, I think he would have had us in a bowl regularly. And of course, the players loved him.

 

[abraxis]

Yeah. He was on his way to Fort Wayne to sign Rod Woodson and heard it on his car radio. And we all know how that turned out.

Looking back I think Corso did a better job than most of us thought at the time. We played a much more difficult non-conference schedule when he was here and we were a dead bottom feeder in the Big Ten when it came to facilities, assistant coaching salaries, recruiting budgets, etc. He recruited some dynamic players but we never had depth. Injuries took a toll most years.

I had a conversation with him in the airport in Orlando in the early 1990's and he was gracious and genuine. He was a big fan of Bill Mallory. My roomate played for him for two years as a walk-on DB and Corso still remembered the guy (no bs either - he remembered that he was an ROTC guy without me mentioning that fact). We talked about the Holiday Bowl season and he mentioned that the success was in large part due to the fact that we were mostly injury free the whole year and there was very little shuffling of players necessary, which always seemed to plague IU.

If he had the benefit of today's 12-game schedule, especially before we went to 9 conference games, I think he would have had us in a bowl regularly. And of course, the players loved him.

I researched his final '82 season (sorry, I couldn't paste it in correct format) and was surprised that it didn't look too bad, at least by this season's standards! I'll never forget his first game as coach, seeing the red double-decker bus come cruising down the north hill, mere minutes before kick-off. His claim-to-fame before his own fame was being Burt Reynold's teammate (if not roommate) at FSU. Ah, the years of the red jumpsuit I miss!