Indiana loses to MAC team for second time this season

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Brian Brunner waited nearly four years to put his stamp on Central Michigan's offense.

Consider it done.

The senior, who had attempted only 103 career passes before Saturday, threw for a school record 485 yards and 4 touchdowns before running for the go-ahead score to give the Chippewas their biggest win of the season, 37-34 over Indiana.

"We've had a little bit of trouble against the Big Ten, so just to get this start and give it my all in my last shot at these guys, it was not in my wildest dreams," Brunner said.

While Brunner's numbers were stunning, 35 of 53, it was the way he masterfully managed his second spot start of the season that impressed his teammates and coaches.

With Dan LeFevour, last year's Mid-American Conference offensive player of the year, out because of a sprained ankle, Brunner traded touchdowns with Indiana before scoring on a 1-yard plunge with 8:52 left to give the Chippewas their only lead of the game. The result: Central Michigan (7-2) has five straight wins, its first in four tries against the Hoosiers and now has a signature victory to add to its bowl resume, too.

The Hoosiers (3-6) have lost twice this season to MAC teams, the first time that's happened in school history. In September, No. 18 Ball State also won in Bloomington.

Their precarious bowl hopes took another hit, too. Indiana must win its final three games against Wisconsin, No. 3 Penn State and rival Purdue just to become bowl eligible and that still may not be enough.

Worse, they could be short-handed.

Quarterback Kellen Lewis, who had missed the last two games with a sprained ankle, couldn't finish the game and backup running back Bryan Payton left early after hurting what appeared to be his right leg or ankle. Payton went immediately from the field to the locker room but coach Bill Lynch had no updates on the injuries.

Starting running back Marcus Thigpen also left early after six carries for 109 yards and two TDs. He appeared to hurt his right ankle.

But it was a stunning turn for Indiana, which hoped a late-season charge might be enough to reach a second straight bowl game.

"We didn't make enough plays early in the fourth quarter to keep the ball away from them, and we didn't make the stops on defense," Lynch said. "Give them credit. They came in here and played a good football game."

What hurt the Hoosiers, aside from Brunner, were costly blunders.

Austin Starr missed a 30-yard field goal wide right and had an extra point blocked in the third quarter. Ben Chappell threw a fourth-quarter interception after moving across midfield and with Indiana still leading 34-31. The defense couldn't prevent the Chippewas from turning that mistake into Brunner's winning touchdown run - or stopping Central Michigan from running out the clock.

The Hoosiers broke a 21-21 halftime tie when Chappell hit Ray Fisher for a 64-yard TD pass on their second play of the third quarter.

But Brunner didn't blink. He threw a screen pass to Antonio Brown, who caught it in the middle of the field, ran left, then cut right and found an opening so big he was waving to Hoosiers defenders as he crossed the goal line. The 79-yard scored tied it at 28, but he drew a 15-yard penalty on the kickoff.

Indiana took advantage of a short field by getting a 3-yard TD run from Demetrius McCray, but the momentum swung when the extra point was blocked.

Andrew Aguila made a 48-yard field goal on Central Michigan's next possession, and then Brunner masterfully drove Central back down the field, called his own number for the winner.

"When I came here, I wanted to be in the record books," he said. "So when I got my letter here a couple years ago, I thought that's great I'll have my name in the back of the media guide. That was cool. Then And then I threw a touchdown pass, and I was like 'Hey, that's in the books. I existed on this football team.' And now for this to happen today, that kind of blew me away. But 37 was the more important number for me."