No. 5 Indiana loses RB Richard, escapes Northwestern — SkimNews
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- Lee Beebe Jr. rushed for 203 yards and a touchdown after replacing injured starter Turbo Richard, carrying No. 5 Indiana to a 29-23 win over visiting Northwestern on Friday.
- Turbo Richard suffered a right lower-leg injury in the first half on a hip-drop tackle by Northwestern's Jamaal Johnson and was also hit out of bounds by Brendan Flakes, though no penalty was called on either play.
- Richard had 68 rushing yards on 9 carries before exiting, following a three-game stretch of 315 yards and 4 touchdowns to open the season.
- Northwestern closed within 15-13 early in the fourth quarter and had two chances to tie via two-point conversions, but Indiana stopped quarterback Aidan Chiles on a designed run to preserve the lead.
- Beebe ripped off a 39-yard run and a 4-yard touchdown to push Indiana ahead by two scores with 9:39 left, then broke a 70-yard run to the Wildcats' 5 after Northwestern cut it to 22-20, sealing the win.
- Indiana is already without backup running back Khobie Martin, who sustained a forearm injury in the season opener against North Texas and is expected to return in the middle of the season.
- Coach Curt Cignetti praised Beebe's effort: "That guy's got a lot of heart... fortunately they couldn't tackle him. It was all grit and heart."
Why it matters: Indiana escaped with the win but now faces a backfield shortage — starter Richard's status is unclear after a first-half leg injury, and backup Khobie Martin is already sidelined until mid-season. Beebe's 203-yard breakout proved the Hoosiers have a viable Plan B, but the No. 5 team visits Rutgers next week with Richard's availability uncertain and only one proven option left.
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