Michigan’s trip back into Big Ten play brings a familiar opponent and a milestone all at once.
The Wolverines will welcome No. 6 Indiana to the Big House in the 74th meeting between the schools, and the game will also be Michigan’s 800th as a Big Ten member.
Michigan has owned this series for a long time, holding a 62-11 edge and winning 42 of the last 45 matchups. The Hoosiers, though, took the most recent one, slipping past Michigan 20-15 in 2024.
Their last win in Ann Arbor came way back in 1967, a 27-20 result.
Michigan enters off its first Big Ten win of the season, and the numbers behind that result suggest the offense may be finding some traction. Against Penn State, the Wolverines scored 21 points and piled up 221 yards after halftime alone, with 174 of those coming on the ground. They finished with 211 rushing yards overall, their first 200-yard rushing performance since Nov. 22, 2025, against Maryland.
The ground game produced some of Michigan’s biggest plays of the year, including a 43-yard touchdown run by Bryson Kuzdzal, plus 22- and 41-yard bursts from Tommy Carr and Savion Hiter. The Wolverines have eight different touchdown scorers this season, with five coming via the run and three through the air.
Jordan Marshall leads the team with four rushing touchdowns, while JJ Buchanan has four receiving scores and tops the roster with 482 receiving yards. Buchanan has seven explosive plays of 20 yards or more, and Andrew Marsh has four.
Carr’s second-half work against Penn State stood out as well. He played the full final two quarters, went 5 of 7 for 47 yards, ran for a 12-yard touchdown and helped spark three scoring drives. Michigan has now put together at least one scoring drive of 10 or more plays in five of its six games, while also producing at least one drive of six plays or fewer in every game.
On the other side of the ball, Michigan has been operating like one of the country’s best defenses. The Wolverines are fourth nationally in total defense at 256.5 yards allowed per game, 13th against the run at 89.7 yards per game and 14th against the pass at 166.8 yards per game. They’re giving up just 16.2 points per game, which ranks 21st nationally, and no opponent has scored more than 14 points in a half against them this season.
Turnovers have been a big part of that pressure. Michigan has forced eight in six games, including six interceptions.
Two have gone back for touchdowns: Jonah Lea’ea’s nine-yard return against UTEP and Nathaniel Staehling’s 79-yard return against Minnesota. Lea’ea’s pick-six was the shortest in program history, while Staehling’s was the longest road pick-six in program history.
Troy Bowles leads the team with 50 tackles, while John Henry Daley is pacing the front with six tackles for loss and four sacks. Michigan also forced three turnovers against Penn State - two interceptions and a strip-sack - marking the defense’s third game this season with multiple takeaways.
Special teams have stayed steady, too. Trey Butkowski is a perfect 4-for-4 on field goals, with makes from 40, 49 and 41 yards among them. Cameron Brown is averaging 41.9 yards per punt and has dropped 13 of his 30 punts inside the 20.
There are fresh faces throughout the roster as well. Eight Wolverines have made their first collegiate starts this season, including tight ends Jalen Hoffman and Eli Owens, linebackers Troy Bowles and Chase Taylor, defensive end Dominic Nichols, cornerback Shamari Earls, wide receiver Salesi Moa, and offensive linemen Avery Gach and Manuel Beigel. Moa also made his first appearance as Michigan’s punt returner against Penn State, finishing with two fair catches and one nine-yard return.
Michigan’s all-time conference record stands at 558-223-18, a .710 winning percentage across 120 seasons as a league member. Now it gets another crack at Indiana, with history, momentum and a Big Ten milestone all landing in the same afternoon at the Big House.
In Other News...
Michigan Still Has One Big Lineup Concern Ahead Of Indiana
Michigans third availability report for its upcoming game against Indiana brought no new changes, but it did reinforce the same concern that has been hanging over the week: the offensive line is still not where the Wolverines want it to be. Several players remain listed across the out, questionable and probable categories, leaving the front five as the biggest area to watch heading into the matchup.
There was at least a bit of encouraging news elsewhere on the injury front, with Kyle Whittingham saying safety Rod Moores issue is minor and not expected to keep him out long. Offensive tackle Andrew Babalola also appears to be nearing a return, which would help, but Michigan is still waiting for the line to look settled before kicking off against Indiana. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fans Wont Believe The Flag That Helped Indiana Score
A controversial roughing-the-passer flag on Michigan freshman Tariq Boney became one of the early turning points in the game between No. 6 Indiana and Michigan, handing the Hoosiers 15 yards and a fresh set of downs after contact with quarterback Josh Hoover. The penalty kept Indiana's drive alive and helped it build an early lead, turning what looked like a routine defensive play into an immediate source of frustration for the Wolverines sideline and their fans.
Fox analyst Joel Klatt didnt hide his displeasure with the ruling as the game unfolded, calling out the officiating on air in real time. And with roughing calls already drawing attention in recent games, the flag fit neatly into a bigger conversation about how these plays are being judged, even if Michigan had little choice but to move on and keep playing. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Red Zone Frustration Just Put Jason Beck Under Fire
Michigans 13-6 loss to No. 6 Indiana was the kind of game that left the offense searching for answers on both sides of the ball. The Wolverines managed only 224 total yards, never found much rhythm on the ground, and had too many empty trips after moving the ball far enough to at least threaten. Kicker Trey Butkowski also missed two kicks, which only added to a night when Michigan couldnt afford to waste chances.
The pressure now turns toward offensive coordinator Jason Beck after a questionable play call drew attention from Kyle Whittingham, who said he took responsibility for the decision and its impact on the game. For a Michigan team that needs cleaner execution and better protection of possession moving forward, the margin for error is getting thinner. The next few games will show whether this was a one-off misstep or a sign the offense still has work to do before it can be trusted in tight spots. [Read more 🡒]