Michigan’s defense did more than enough to win on Saturday. The offense left it all behind.
In a 13-6 overtime loss to Indiana in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines controlled enough of the game to make a breakthrough feel possible, then watched it slip away one failed drive at a time. Michigan’s defense held the Hoosiers to 212 total yards, limited them to six points in regulation and forced Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover into his first interception of the year. But Michigan never found the end zone, and that was the difference.
The most damaging moments came when the Wolverines were inches from taking control. On the opening drive of the second half, Michigan reached the one-yard line and still chose to throw.
True freshman quarterback Tommy Carr, making his first start, turned his back to the defense on play action before being sacked. The Wolverines settled for a missed 32-yard field goal, a chance that loomed even larger given how well the defense had played.
The same pattern showed up again late. With time winding down in the fourth quarter and Michigan inside the Indiana three-yard line, the offense went to the pass once more. Carr was sacked again, and another shot at a game-winning touchdown vanished.
On that second call, Kyle Whittingham took the blame and made clear he should have stepped in.
"Everything falls on my shoulders. So whatever happens in the course of the game is on me," Whittingham said.
"That was not a good football call. No, that was not a good call at that point in time.
I have the ability to overrule anything in the whole program. And so, like I said, it circles back to me that it was a very disappointing outcome.
And the call that, you know, Jason wishes he had back because it really was damaging."
Michigan’s rushing attack never got going, either. The Wolverines finished with 57 yards on 42 carries, and Indiana’s front only made things worse with four sacks and 10 tackles for loss that cost Michigan 36 yards. The run game looked stuck from the start, and the sacks turned an already shaky night into a mess.
Carr was asked to carry too much of it. The freshman completed 63% of his passes for 167 yards, threw an interception off a tip and lost a fumble on a bad pitch decision, but he still produced more than Indiana’s quarterback did.
Hoover finished with 81 passing yards and a 44.1% efficiency rating. Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh combined for just 57 receiving yards, and Indiana never found much rhythm through the air.
Still, Michigan actually moved the ball more often and more effectively in the broadest sense. The Wolverines had 16 first downs to Indiana’s 11 and ran 74 plays to the Hoosiers’ 53.
On paper, there were signs of a team that should have been in position to win. In reality, the offense kept putting itself behind the chains, and the playcalling only deepened the problem.
Whittingham said he isn’t ready to give up on offensive coordinator Jason Beck, pointing to the success Beck had last season at Utah. But he also acknowledged the offense is searching for something it still hasn’t found.
"Last year, Jason was exceptional, and we had exceptional results. And so I'm not going to say that he's struggling, but we're trying," Whittingham said.
"There's no lack of work ethic or spending time on it. We're in the building around the clock.
But Jason's just searching for some rhythm and some continuity, probably the best word in the offense. And if you can't run the football, everything else will be really hard.
We weren't having the movement well at all. And like I said, they were not heavy boxes.
They were just their normal boxes and a lot of split-safety looks. And they still just couldn't make any hay in the run game.
And that really is, the offensive success is predicated on being able to run the ball. And they could not do it consistently."
That has been the theme, and it held again here. Michigan’s defense gave it a chance.
The offense never cashied in. The result leaves the Wolverines at 4-3 and out of the Big Ten and CFP race.
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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 🡒]