INDIANAPOLIS – The 17th-ranked UIndy football team (8-1, 6-1 GLVC) affirmed its playoff aspirations at Key Stadium Saturday night, delivering a clutch 44-28 win versus No. 23 Truman State University. As the Greyhounds rolled off 24 unanswered points in the second half, junior
Al McKeller scored his 39th career rushing touchdown to set a new program record.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
The visiting Bulldogs built a brief 21-20 lead early in the third quarter, but the Hounds responded with a game-changing scoring run to send their guests reeling. UIndy sprinkled in a
Paul Buisman field goal with three rushing scores in the second half. McKeller punched in a pair of short TDs before
Toriano Clinton broke it open with a 32-yard TD rush with just 5:19 left.
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Truman QB Jaden Barr managed his second rushing touchdown of the night with three minutes to go, but with the 'Dogs now down 16 points, the Greyhounds corralled the ensuing onside kick and salted away the final minutes.
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UIndy kept the Bulldog offense off the field by forcing three turnovers.
Jacob Schmatz and
Miles Williams each had an interception, while
Trevon Hall scooped up a muffed punt that led to a field goal.
UIndy finished the night with 239 rushing yards, including 120 from McKeller and 85 from Clinton.
TJ Edwards completed 18 of 24 passes for 293 yards a pair of scores – both going to junior
Ryan Topper. Safety
Connor Steeb paced the Hounds with nine tackles, while Schmatz added two QB hurries and a half sack (along with
Alec Patch).
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INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Both of Topper's TDs were lengthy ones: a 55-yard score in the first quarter and 33 yarder in the second. He matched his personal high with 129 yards on just four catches.
Maurice Robinson added a team-best six receptions for 60 yards.
- UIndy dominated time of possession, holding the ball for nearly 40 minutes. Truman came into the night averaging 33-and-a-half minutes of T.O.P. per game.
- Buisman was a perfect 3-for-3 in field goal chances, connecting from 38, 21 and 19 yards.
- Linebackers
Alex Parsons and
Joe Lambright each had two tackles for a loss.
- Williams' second-quarter interception was the first of his career.
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MORE NOTES
With its conference schedule complete, UIndy still has a shot at sharing the GLVC title but would need Lindenwood to lose at Southwest Baptist next week. SBU is 1-5 in conference play … Edwards surpassed 10,000 career passing yards Saturday. He is the current DII active leader in the category … UIndy is now 6-1 all-time versus Truman, including a perfect 4-0 mark at Key Stadium … McKeller's new rushing touchdown total surpassed the former record of 38 shared by former Greyhound greats Klay Fiechter (2010-13) and Andrew Walker (2014-17). The junior running back also went over 1,000 rushing yards for the season Saturday to become the first player in program history with three 1,000-yard campaigns.
UP NEXT
The Greyhounds wrap up the regular season with an out-of-conference home game versus Lake Erie Saturday, Nov. 16. The early kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.
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