North Texas @ Indiana preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 24, 2011 ) Indiana 21, North Texas 24

Indiana had a disappointing Big Ten opener last week versus Maryland following an exhilarating 31-27 victory over then-No. 19 Missouri. Star running back Tevin Coleman and the Hoosiers will try to get back on track Saturday in their final non-conference game of the season against visiting North Texas. The Mean Green have had a week off to study after a 77-3 annihilation of Nicholls State on Sept. 20, and they will certainly watch the tape of their 24-21 win over the Hoosiers in 2011.

D'Angelo Roberts' 3-yard touchdown run with 22 seconds left at Missouri provided Indiana with its fourth-ever win on the road against a ranked opponent and the first in 10 years. The momentum was short-lived, however, as the Hoosiers got torched for 361 yards through the air - most by the backup Caleb Rowe - in last week's 37-15 home loss to the Terrapins. On Saturday the Hoosiers will likely get the ball often to Coleman, who is leading the nation with 172.8 yards per game with seven touchdowns and 7.9 yards per carry, and hope an inexperienced North Texas quarterback won't expose its porous pass defense.

TV: 2:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Indiana -14

ABOUT NORTH TEXAS (2-2): The Mean Green sacked Nicholls quarterbacks a school-record 10 times, blocked two punts and scored touchdowns on interception and punt returns in their most lopsided win since 1948. After playing three quarterbacks in the first three games, redshirt freshman Dajon Williams started for the first time and completed 11-of-14 for 176 yards and three TDs and added two more on the ground. North Texas has held opponents to an impressive 2.8 yards per carry, but that number jumps to a more pedestrian 4.3 when factoring out its 19 sacks.

ABOUT INDIANA (2-2): Coleman, one of four players last season to average 100 yards per game and 7.0 yards per carry, has topped 100 yards in six consecutive games and scored a TD in 13 straight – both streaks longest in the nation. Quarterback Nate Sudfeld was harassed all day by the Terrapins, completing 14-of-37 for 126 yards with an interception and three sacks. The Hoosiers are last in the Big Ten in pass defense, yielding 307 yards per game, and only Michigan has fewer then Indiana's three takeovers in the conference.

EXTRA POINTS

1. North Texas QBs Josh Greer and Andrew McNulty struggled in the first three games, combining to complete 30-of–64 passes for 226 yards with no TDs and four interceptions.

2. Indiana redshirt freshman PK Griffin Oakes connected for a school-record 58-yard field goal last week in his first start.

3. Coleman needs two more consecutive 100-yard games to match the Hoosiers' all-time record held by Vaughn Dunbar (1998) and Anthony Thompson (1988).

PREDICTION: Indiana 31, North Texas 17