No. 6 Indiana heads to Ann Arbor looking to stop the slide after its first regular-season loss since Nov. 23, 2024, and the assignment doesn’t get any gentler. Michigan, fresh off a comeback win of its own, is waiting Saturday with a defense built to make life miserable and an offense that suddenly has some momentum.
Curt Cignetti didn’t dress up the challenge.
"Out of the frying pan and into the fire as we get ready for Michigan," said Indiana coach Curt Cignetti.
The Hoosiers are 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten, but the loss to Ohio State exposed a problem that has shown up in consecutive weeks: Indiana’s run game has been squeezed almost entirely out of the picture. Against the Buckeyes, the Hoosiers finished with 73 yards on 29 carries, a 2.5-yard average, and their longest run went for just eight. A week earlier against Nebraska, they managed 65 yards on 22 attempts, with Josh Hoover’s 16-yard scramble standing as the longest run.
That’s not the kind of production Indiana is used to, and Cignetti said the issue starts up front.
"It all starts up front," Cignetti said. "We all want more consistent production and explosive plays. We haven't gotten any explosive plays the last two weeks in the run game."
The Buckeyes game also left Indiana thinking there might have been an opening, especially after Nick Marsh’s first step was out of bounds on a would-be touchdown catch from Hoover with 1:02 left. Still, Cignetti’s message was less about what almost happened and more about what has to change.
"We fell short, plain and simple," Cignetti said. "Gave great effort and had our opportunities, for sure.
In some ways, we beat ourselves -- which is uncharacteristic of this football team. But I certainly think we proved we're capable.
We just have to clean up a couple areas and use this setback to learn and grow, come back stronger and better."
Michigan presents another tough day for the ground game. The Wolverines rank No. 13 nationally in run defense, allowing 89.7 yards per game and 2.7 yards per carry, both figures that put them ahead of Ohio State and Nebraska in that category.
On the other side, Michigan comes in after a much-needed jolt at quarterback. Trailing Penn State 3-0 at halftime last week, the Wolverines turned from sophomore Bryce Underwood to freshman Tommy Carr, and the switch changed the game.
Carr, the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, helped drive three second-half touchdowns in a 21-18 win. He completed 5 of 7 passes for 47 yards, didn’t turn the ball over and added a late rushing score with 2:58 remaining.
"Tommy is a very good runner," Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham said. "He's deceptively fast. ... All his testing numbers really tell you how quick and fast and explosive he is, but he doesn't look like it because he's so smooth."
Whittingham said Monday he wasn’t ready to reveal who would start against Indiana, but multiple media outlets reported Tuesday that Carr would get the nod. Underwood has thrown five interceptions and two touchdowns over his last 10 quarters, a stretch that included losses to Iowa and Minnesota.
"Well, we saw good stuff out of Tommy in the second half and we know exactly what we're doing and the plan going forward," Whittingham said. "We're not going to tip our hand to the opponent, but we have a good plan in place. And that's about all I can say about that right now."
In Other News...
Bryce Underwood Just Put Michigans Quarterback Future On Edge
Bryce Underwoods status has suddenly become one of the biggest talking points around Michigan, after the Wolverines made the move to bench him in favor of Tommy Carr for the upcoming game. Underwood arrived with enormous expectations and an NIL package reportedly worth more than $10 million, so any shift in his role carries immediate weight for the programs short- and long-term plans.
Underwood has not been confirmed as a portal entrant, but the possibility is enough to send the speculation machine into overdrive given how heavily Michigan invested in him. If he does decide to move on, familiar recruiting ties and roster needs would make places like LSU, Miami, Texas Tech, Georgia, and Kentucky worth watching closely, which is exactly why this situation feels so sensitive for a Wolverines team trying to protect its quarterback future. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Offense Just Took A Turn Fans Need To Watch
Michigans offense got a fresh jolt on Sunday when the coaching staff settled on Tommy Carr as the starting quarterback, a move confirmed by sources and noticed by other coaches around the program. It gives the Wolverines a clearer direction under center at a time when every bit of stability matters, and it comes alongside a few other roster developments that could shape how the offense looks moving forward.
Jeremiah Earby, the former Boise State cornerback, is now officially on the Michigan roster and eligible to play right away, adding another experienced piece to the secondary. The future also got a little brighter when three-star receiver Yuto Kawamura-Johnson flipped his commitment from Toledo to Michigan for the 2027 class, a reminder that the staff is still working to build depth even as the focus shifts to the present. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fans Just Got A Tough New Bryce Underwood Reality
The quarterback conversation around Michigan has taken another turn, and it comes with a familiar name weighing in. Urban Meyer said on Outkick that Tommy Carr has positioned himself to be the starting quarterback over Bryce Underwood, pointing to Carrs performance and the way his game fits a similar offensive style. It is the kind of evaluation that keeps the focus on fit as much as talent, especially with a player like Underwood already drawing attention.
Meyer also made it clear this is not a knock on Underwoods ability. He described the young quarterback as talented and engaged, while noting that his role in the offense still has to be sorted out. Meyer added that he stays in regular contact with Kyle Whittingham, a detail that only adds to the sense that this is a developing situation rather than a settled one. [Read more 🡒]