Indiana’s first loss of the season has not changed the Hoosiers’ outlook heading into Saturday’s trip to Michigan. The defeat to Ohio State last week was only the third under Curt Cignetti, and the group now heads into Ann Arbor trying to respond the way it did after its previous setback in Cignetti’s first year.
A year ago, Indiana’s only other loss under Cignetti came against the Buckeyes, and the next week the Hoosiers crushed Purdue 66-0. This time, the opponent is Michigan, and the test is bigger in every sense. The game will be played inside Michigan Stadium, where the crowd can exceed 107,000, making it the largest environment Indiana will face this season.
Even with the unbeaten run gone, the message inside the program has stayed steady.
"We still have everything that we're looking for in front of us," redshirt senior defensive lineman Tyrique Tucker said Tuesday. "We can't let that define us. We have to continue to get better and use that as a learning point."
Indiana’s attention this week is as much about discipline as it is about matchups. The Hoosiers know the mistakes that hurt them against Ohio State cannot show up again, especially against a Michigan team that has already been through its own uneven stretch this season.
The Wolverines have losses to Iowa and Minnesota, but they also own home wins over then-No. 11 Oklahoma and Penn State.
Their lone defeat in Ann Arbor came on an Iowa touchdown as time expired.
The schedule has only made the task tougher for Indiana. This is the Hoosiers’ eighth game in eight weeks, and they are coming off back-to-back games that went down to the final minutes against Nebraska and Ohio State.
There is also a quarterback wrinkle to sort through. Michigan benched former No. 1 overall recruit Bryce Underwood for freshman Tommy Carr in the second half against Penn State, and Carr responded by directing all three of Michigan’s scoring drives in a 21-18 win. That leaves Indiana preparing for both possibilities.
"Still preparing physically and mentally to go to war," Tucker said. "And be ready and prepared for whatever they throw at us."
Defensively, Indiana has been built to create problems for opponents. Bryant Haines’ unit ranks fourth nationally in fewest points allowed at 12.86 per game. The Hoosiers are also among the nation’s best at getting into the backfield, averaging 3.43 sacks and 7.9 tackles for loss per game, both top-10 figures.
Michigan’s offense presents openings, too. The Wolverines rank 11th in the Big Ten in third-down conversions, sit 17th in points per game, and have the fourth-highest average penalty yards. Tucker said Haines will look to exploit every one of those flaws.
"It's our mentality," Tucker said. "It's our attack and our relentlessness to get to the ball."
At the same time, Michigan’s defense remains the centerpiece of the matchup. The Wolverines are allowing just 16.17 points per game and average 6.5 tackles for loss per contest. They are also one of only three Big Ten defenses giving up fewer than 90 rushing yards per game.
That puts more pressure on Indiana’s wide receivers to create quick separation. Junior receivers Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh are expected to be heavily involved, and Becker said the key is beating the rush before it gets home.
"As receivers, we gotta get open before the pass rush can get to the quarterback," Becker said Tuesday. "I'm looking forward to the challenge."
Becker and Marsh have done plenty of damage together already. They have combined for 1,279 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, accounting for more than 73% of Indiana’s passing yards and 75% of its passing touchdowns.
For a team with so many newcomers, this is also new territory emotionally. Players who have been in the program for the last two years have not had many chances to reset after a loss, and Becker said that edge has shown up in the locker room.
"I definitely think that after a loss, the guys are just a little pissed off," Becker said. "We're not looking at the last week anymore. We're fully onto Michigan."
In Other News...
Indiana Fans Just Got A Bigger Reason To Watch Josh Hoover
Josh Hoovers rise to the top of the Big Ten quarterback rankings adds another layer to a conference race that has already been thinned by injuries and uneven play. With the rankings pared down from eight quarterbacks to five, Hoover now sits ahead of a group that still includes Purdues Ryan Browne, whose recent performance was enough to push him into the top five despite a loss, along with Northwesterns Hunter Maiava and Nebraskas Jeff Colandrea.
For Indiana fans, Hoovers new standing gives them an even clearer reason to keep an eye on him as Week 8 approaches. The competition around him has shifted quickly, especially after Ohio States Julian Sayin was injured, and the latest shuffle underscores how much the Big Tens quarterback picture has changed in a short span. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Now Faces A New Michigan Wrinkle At Quarterback
Freshman Tommy Carr is suddenly the quarterback Indiana has to prepare for, and the change gives Michigan a different look heading into the matchup. After Bryce Underwood was benched because of accuracy issues and turnovers during his starts, Carr stepped in and helped spark a comeback win over Penn State, giving the Wolverines a reason to believe the offense can settle down.
For Indiana, the wrinkle is less about a mystery and more about adjusting to a new version of the same opponent on short notice. Carrs passing output was modest, but he also delivered a key rushing touchdown, and Michigan is hoping the switch leads to a more consistent operation under center. The Hoosiers now have to plan for a quarterback making his first real run at the job, which can change both the rhythm and the run-pass balance of the game. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Respect For Indiana Just Raised The Stakes In Ann Arbor
Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham spent part of his pregame availability giving Indiana a level of respect that usually tells you plenty about the matchup before anyone takes the field. He pointed to Curt Cignettis team as a balanced, veteran group that takes care of the ball, the kind of profile that tends to travel well and force opponents to stay sharp from the opening snap.
The other wrinkle is on Michigans side, where Whittingham said the Wolverines will turn to freshman quarterback Tommy Carr against Indiana. His mobility and efficiency were part of the rationale, but it also adds another layer to a game already carrying more intrigue because of what Indiana has built. When a conference opponent talks this carefully about your strengths, it usually means the margin for error gets a lot thinner in Ann Arbor. [Read more 🡒]