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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana Hoosiers spent seven years chasing a bowl bid.With the drought finally over, the Hoosiers can turn their attention to a whole, new world of possibilities.A national championship, not just a bowl game, defensive lineman Ralph Green III said when asked about Indianas next step. Everyone on this team believes we can play for a national championship -- and win it.Green wasnt making a prediction, a guarantee or even a boast about this season. He just wants outsiders to know that these Hoosiers are confident enough to dream bigger than their most loyal fans.The bold talk will take some getting used to In Bloomington, a town that usually reserves the term national championship for the mens basketball, mens soccer and the schools swimming and diving teams.Nearly a half century since winning its last Big Ten title, the football team wants in on the action.A year ago, the Hoosiers finished 6-7 -- a record that could have been significantly better had they not blown leads in the final minute of two games and a 25-point third quarter lead in another game. At Michigan State and at Ohio State, they were within a field goal going into the fourth quarter, and Michigan needed to convert a fourth-and-goal play with 2 seconds left in regulation just to force overtime.Despite losing all of those games, Indiana still made its first postseason trip since 2007 by winning its final last two games on the road for the first time since 1982.The Hoosiers also have won three straight over archrival Purdue for the first time in nearly seven decades. Beating the Boilermakers at home Nov. 26 would give Indiana a record-tying fourth consecutive victory the series; the only other time that happened was 1943-47.It has all given the Hoosiers momentum heading into Thursday nights season-opener at Florida International -- and has coach Kevin Wilson encouraging them to raise the bar.Im excited to see where these guys start. Im really excited to see how they go through the year, Wilson said, assessing the defense. I think its got a chance to be really, really good.If hes right, the Hoosiers could really have something because the offense is pretty talented, as usual.The Hoosiers are looking for a third consecutive season with a 1,000-yard runner -- something that hasnt happened since 1989 Heisman Trophy runner-up Anthony Thompson and Vaughn Dunbar did it from 1987-91. If Devine Redding runs for a second straight 1,000-yard season, it would be the first time in school history that the Hoosiers have produced three successive seasons with a different 1,000-yard runner.Redding finished with 1,012 yards last season and is working behind an offensive line that returns three starters and a new left tackle, who was an honorable mention selection on the 2015 all-freshman team.Its a way different feeling around here, the whole aura has changed, Redding said. You can feel this team is really gelling and were all on the same page.The question, of course, is whether the defense improves. Since 2005, Indiana has allowed an astounding 34.1 points per game.Though the Hoosiers have landed some solid players over the years, such as NFL players Adewale Ogunleye and Tracy Porter, they are starting this season with their third defensive coordinator in four years and have mostly struggled on that side of the ball.Green and others insist this seasons new attitude could produce the missing pieces to a championship puzzle.I have confidence we can be competing for a playoff spot, linebacker Marcus Oliver said. The biggest thing has been learning that we have the talent and that teams arent better than us. We just beat ourselves a lot of the time.Of course, the Hoosiers know the reality: They havent won a conference title since 1967, havent won a bowl game since 1991 and have never even been in contention for a playoff game.But after all that, this Indiana team believes it can change course.We want to go back and win a bowl game or go even higher, All-American guard Dan Feeney said. We got a taste of the postseason and we want to get back this year and go even farther.Troy Tulowitzki Jersey . -- PGA TOUR Canada member Steve Saunders took a three-stroke lead Saturday in the Web. DJ LeMahieu Jersey . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. http://www.yankeesrookiestore.com/Yankees-Zach-Britton-Kids-Jersey/ . LUCIE, Fla. Mariano Rivera Yankees Jersey . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. Gary Sanchez Yankees Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable.Even with a big weekend awaiting, Rhode Island coach Dan Hurley doesnt think his No. 21 Rams will have trouble focusing on Wednesday nights Hall of Fame Tip-off game against Brown at Kingston, R.I.Thats Brown, a longtime local rival.We know what it is when we play Brown, Hurley said after the Rams disposed of Marist 107-65 on Monday night.The Bears of the Ivy League are 1-1 in this early season, losing to now-rated Cincinnati before opening their home season with a win over Niagara on Sunday behind Steven Spieth with a career night of 27 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.(Brown coach) Mike (Martin) ... and the job he does with those guys in terms of how hard it is to play, how hard-nosed they are, their ability to shoot the ball and spread you out, said Hurley. Theyre playing pretty small. Every time weve played them its been a hell of a game.Last year, the Rams, dressing only seven scholarship players, pulled out an 88-85 victory over the Bears. URI has won four straight, 13 of the last 14 and 18 of the last 20, leading a series that started in 1909-10 by 104-53.Last years OT game should be more than enough for URI to stay focused on Brown -- even with a date with No. 24 Cincinnati and then quite possibly No. 1 Duke over the weekend at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut waiting. Duke faces Penn State on Saturday with the winners and losers pairing off the next day.Brown plays Albany and Marist in the tournaments other bracket at the same location.ddddddddddddOur team can score the basketball, said Martin. We play at a pretty good pace and we have a lot of guys that can make plays.No one made more of them Sunday than Spieth, who came within one assist from becoming only the third Ivy Leaguer to record a triple-double. Dartmouths Ian McGinnis (2000) and Browns Jason Forte (2004) are the others.Spieth, a senior, hit only four baskets (on nine tries) but went 19-for-22 from the foul line in his career game. Obi Okalie scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds and freshman Joshua Howard scored all 14 of his points in the first half.Im happy with todays win, Martin said after the game. We put in a lot of hard work in the off-season and it paid off today with a victory. We did enough defensively and got to the free-throw line.And get to 1-1 before URI.Ive gotten to know Mike over the last couple of years, hes an excellent coach, Hurley said. He will have his guys ready on Wednesday and we need to have the right mindset in that game.The Rams have dealt with sluggish defensive starts in each of their two games but had no trouble waking up iheir two games but had no trouble wa