Indiana gets Minnesota at Homecoming on Saturday, and the Hoosiers have a couple of things working in their favor right out of the gate: a chance to extend another home winning streak and an opportunity to strengthen a playoff case at No. 4.
Minnesota enters at 5-2 overall and 3-1 in Big Ten play, but the Gophers still haven’t cracked the rankings because both losses were ugly enough to leave a mark. The Week 2 defeat to Mississippi State would look better if not for the Bulldogs’ current three-game skid, while the loss at Purdue is much harder to explain away.
Still, P.J. Fleck’s group is coming off its best result of the season: a 13-10 win over then-No.
15 Iowa. That kind of game can change how a team carries itself, and Indiana will have to be ready for a Minnesota squad that looks sharper and more confident than it did a week ago.
Three areas stand out heading into Saturday.
Minnesota’s defense is the first place to start, and the split is pretty clear. Overall, the Gophers are sitting around the middle of the Big Ten in both yards allowed and points allowed, but they’ve been far sturdier against the pass than the run.
They rank third in the conference in pass defense, giving up just 165.1 yards per game through the air. On the ground, though, they’re allowing 123.6 yards per game, and Purdue exposed that weakness in a 41-13 blowout by pounding out 305 rushing yards.
That lines up with an Indiana offense that has had issues both running and throwing the ball lately, though the Hoosiers have been better on the ground over the full season. The bigger question is how Minnesota approaches the game if Josh Hoover is limited. If the passing game isn’t a major threat, the Gophers could crowd the box and force Indiana into obvious run situations.
Khobie Martin’s status matters there too. He was off the injury report last week, but he didn’t get a carry against Michigan. If Indiana wants to lean into the run game against Minnesota, getting him involved would help.
Minnesota’s offense doesn’t exactly jump off the page, either. Through seven games, the Gophers are in the bottom three of the 18-team Big Ten in both yards per game and points per game, just ahead of Michigan. That gives Indiana a matchup that should be manageable on paper.
The wrinkle is that Minnesota has been more dangerous through the air than Michigan was. The Gophers are averaging 222.3 passing yards per game, just shy of Indiana’s 228.1, and quarterback Drake Lindsey has done a solid job avoiding negative plays, taking only six sacks so far.
That’s the part worth watching for Indiana’s defense. The Hoosiers have been carrying a heavy load over the last month, and while this matchup favors them, Minnesota’s ability to throw the ball gives the game at least one area where Indiana has to stay alert.
Then there’s Hoover, who is listed as probable after injuring his throwing arm against Ohio State. That alone says he’s still not all the way back, and it sounds like Indiana is trying to make it to the bye week however it can.
With Minnesota’s run defense looking vulnerable, Indiana should have a chance to stay on the ground early. The challenge is keeping that approach from becoming too predictable. Mike Shanahan will have to mix things up enough to avoid letting Minnesota tee off on the obvious calls.
If the run game is moving, this could also be a chance to ease Hoover back in and build some confidence against a defense that should be expecting a heavy dose of the ground attack.
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Assembly Hall Is About To Look Different For Indiana Fans
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For Lilly, the move is more than just a branding play. It is the companys first full sports sponsorship in college athletics, part of a broader effort to deepen its ties to Indiana and connect with fans while reinforcing its presence in the state. The partnership also fits with Lillys push to create career opportunities for students and graduates, adding another layer to a deal that will be seen every time the Hoosiers take the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Needs Josh Hoover To Answer One Big Homecoming Concern
Indiana football gets its homecoming stage at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington with Minnesota coming in, and the spotlight naturally falls on Josh Hoover. The Hoosiers are trying to get more from their quarterback after a recent injury slowed him down, and the matchup offers a chance to see cleaner rhythm in the passing game. Indianas defense should also have reasons to feel good, especially with Minnesotas running game struggling enough to shape how the Golden Gophers approach the afternoon.
Josh Hoovers response may end up defining how comfortable Indiana feels about this one. If Minnesota is forced away from the ground and into a more pass-heavy plan, the Hoosiers will need to stay sharp in the secondary and avoid giving away easy answers. For Indiana, the bigger homecoming concern is whether Hoover can look more like himself again, because a steadier passing attack would go a long way toward turning this into the kind of game the Hoosiers want at home. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Saban Thinks Indiana Is Close To Looking Dangerous Again
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The more interesting part is what happens if the offense keeps inching forward to match it. Saban mentioned Josh Hoover along with receivers Nick Marsh and Charlie Becker as part of the equation, which is a reminder that Indiana does not need a total overhaul to become a tougher out. If the Hoosiers can pair those offensive signs with the kind of defensive control theyve shown, the stretch ahead could tell a lot about how close they really are to looking dangerous again. [Read more 🡒]