Truman State battled back with big plays in the second half, but the Bulldogs couldn't overcome Indianapolis' balance on the ground in a 30–20 setback Saturday at Stokes Stadium.
Indianapolis set the tone early, grinding out a 14-play, 74-yard drive capped by a 7-yard Gavin Sukup touchdown run midway through the first quarter. The Greyhounds tacked on a 34-yard field goal in the second to carry a 10–0 lead into halftime, while Truman saw two promising drives stall on missed field goals.
The third quarter opened with fireworks on both sides. Indy extended its lead to 17–0 on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Sukup to Alonzo Derrick, but the Bulldogs answered instantly when Thomas Pulliam returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards to the house, bringing the crowd to life. The Greyhounds responded with a 25-yard field goal and a 67-yard touchdown burst by Juseters Fataki to push the margin back to 27–7.
Truman stayed in the fight. Quarterback Dylan Hair capped a five-play, 65-yard drive with a 16-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter to cut it to 27–14. In the fourth, Indianapolis added a short field goal, but Truman marched 73 yards in the final minutes, with Hair hitting Adam Hall for a 13-yard touchdown with 1:42 left. The two-point try was unsuccessful, leaving the score 30–20. The Bulldogs attempted an onside kick, but Indy recovered and ran out the clock.
Key Stats
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QB Dylan Hair: 18-of-37 passing, 258 yards, 1 TD; 33 rushing yards and 1 TD
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WR Gerard Grewe: 8 receptions, 147 yards
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WR Adam Hall: 3 catches, 27 yards, 1 TD
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KR Thomas Pulliam: 5 returns, 174 yards, 100-yard kickoff return TD
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Defense: Jaxin Patterson (12 tackles), Jack Weltha (7 tackles, 1 sack), Thomas Spaulding (8 tackles, 1 sack)
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Team totals: Truman 329 yards (258 pass / 71 rush); Indianapolis 505 yards (293 rush / 212 pass)
Up Next:
The Bulldogs will be on a bye week this coming Saturday before resuming their season at home against Upper Iowa on Saturday, October 11th at 11:00 AM. The Bulldogs are 5-0 all time against the Peacocks, winning a 26-23 slugfest last year in Fayette.