Kevin Wilson tells Hoosiers fans to stay for four quarters

Indiana coach Kevin Wilson said his team acted like the fans in its last game and “left in the fourth quarter.”

He’s hoping that changes. Both on and off the field at Memorial Stadium.

Coming off a bye week after Indiana staved off Ball State, 30-20, Wilson urged fans to stay for four quarters this week against Wake Forest, saying (according to the Indianapolis Star): “Fans help you win games. Love to have our fans come help us. That’s our house. They’re a part of us.”

“We’ve got good fans,” Wilson told reporters. “Those tailgates are still there. If you buy a good enough cooler, that stuff’ll stay cold for you. Let’s ride out the second half.”

The second half will likely be an exciting one. Saturday’s game in Bloomington against Wake Forest is one of just four games this week that feature two unbeaten Power 5 conference teams, as TJ Inman wrote over at Hoosier Huddle.

The ramifications for this game are clear for two teams who have difficult conference schedules ahead of them. It’s never too early to worry about postseason eligibility.

After Wake Forest, Indiana plays Michigan State, Ohio State and Nebraska in its next three games. A 3-0 start would go a long way in becoming bowl eligible later in the season.

Indiana offensive lineman Dan Feeney, who left the Ball State game in the first half with a concussion, is still awaiting clearance.

Wake Forest quarterback Kendall Hinton will not play. The same status is likely for starting running back Cade Carney.

Indiana started last year 3-0 for the first time since 2010, including a 31-24 win over Wake Forest, which moved the Hoosiers to 4-0. They eventually finished 6-6 in the regular season before losing to Duke in the Pinstripe Bowl.

A win Saturday would help determine a second consecutive bowl game. Wilson hopes the fans are there when the clock strikes zero.