Teddy Bailey

IndyStar correspondent

Next up: IU at Michigan, 3:30 p.m. Nov. 19, TBD

BLOOMINGTON — For more than a year now, Indiana’s mantra for close football losses has been that they simply aren't good enough. After countless close calls suffered last season, moral victories no longer exist in Bloomington.

Just ask Mitchell Paige, IU’s senior wideout who coughed up two of the Hoosiers’ five fumbles in Saturday’s 45-31 loss to No. 10 Penn State.

“My fumbles killed us,” Paige admitted. “If I don’t fumble the ball, I don’t think there’s any worry at the end of the game. It’s a very different ballgame if I don’t fumble. I take sole responsibility.”

There’s some validity in Paige’s admission, albeit both fumbles were in the first half. On a third-and-7 near the red zone in the first quarter, Paige coughed up the ball after catching a tunnel screen.

On a reverse in the second quarter, Penn State’s Malik Golden punched the ball out on the first play of a drive that started at midfield. Those lost points eventually derailed the Hoosiers, Paige said.

For 3 quarters, Hoosiers defense suffocated Penn State

But Paige wasn’t the only Hoosier culprit. Quarterback Richard Lagow and Devonte Williams couldn’t complete a handoff exchange, Isaac James had a punt hit his leg deep in IU territory and Lagow was strip-sacked to seal the game.

Somehow, despite four first-half turnovers, the game was tied 14-all at halftime. In what has become a growing trend this season, IU's defense stepped up to the challenge, making one play after another. But once again, Indiana’s offense couldn't keep up.

• BOX SCORE: Penn State 45, Indiana 31

“A lot of the success was that we were getting pressure,” IU cornerback Rashard Fant said.

The defensive line bulled its way to a school-record 16 tackles for loss and sacked Penn State QB Trace McSorley three times. Both Fant and A’Shon Riggins grabbed interceptions and the secondary held its own against the deep ball.

IU’s fumbles were (briefly) forgotten after Zander Diamont and Camion Patrick connected for 52 yards, setting up a Devine Redding touchdown run to give the Hoosiers a 24-14 lead late in the third quarter.

But the Nittany Lions – one of the nation’s strongest second-half teams – outscored IU 24-7 in the fourth quarter, making the final score look more lopsided than the game felt. McSorley found receiver Chris Godwin for a 21-yard score before running back Saquon Barkley, bottled up for most of the day, made the Hoosiers pay for another short field. Suddenly, the Hoosiers trailed 35-31 with 3:58 to play.

On its final three drives of the game, Indiana gained just 12 yards before Torrence Brown put the final nail in the coffin with his 9-yard fumble return.

“As hard as we play and as proud as you are and as much as you love them, we’ve got to finish better,” said IU coach Kevin Wilson. “I’ve got to coach a little bit better as far as play-calling, get the offense going down the stretch.”

As a team, the Hoosiers are still learning how to finish games – especially against ranked foes. One win shy of bowl eligibility, the margin of error shrinks for the Hoosiers. Up next is a trip to Ann Arbor to face No. 2 Michigan. Then, the annual regular-season finale against Purdue..

The feeling of coming close isn’t new for Indiana. It happened time and time again last season, but that doesn’t make Saturday's setback any easier to swallow.

“Been here before, that’s all I can say," Paige said. "Been here before.”

Next up: IU at Michigan, 3:30 p.m. Nov. 19, TBD