Indiana’s trip to Michigan in Week 8 now has a kickoff window, a TV home and the kind of spotlight that comes with it.
The Big Ten announced Thursday that the No. 5 Hoosiers will face the Wolverines at Noon ET on Saturday, Oct. 24 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. FOX will carry the game in its “Big Noon Saturday” slot, with Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt on the call.
It will be the first meeting between the teams since Indiana’s 20-15 win in Bloomington in the 2024 season. This one also adds another chapter to a long series: the matchup will be the 74th all-time between Indiana and Michigan, with the Wolverines holding a 62-11 edge.
Indiana’s history in Ann Arbor has been especially difficult. The Hoosiers haven’t beaten Michigan there since 1967, and they have just seven all-time victories at Michigan Stadium. IU has taken two of the last five meetings overall, though it went 32 years without a win over the Wolverines from 1987 to 2019.
Before that trip arrives, Indiana still has a massive test in front of it. The Hoosiers are 6-0 overall and 3-0 in Big Ten play, with wins over North Texas, Howard, Western Kentucky, Northwestern, at Rutgers and at Nebraska.
Their next game is this Saturday at Noon ET against No. 4 Ohio State at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, also on FOX.
Michigan enters the week at 3-2 overall and 0-2 in conference play. The Wolverines have beaten Western Michigan, Oklahoma and UTEP, while falling to No.
17 Iowa and at Minnesota. They were off last week and will host Penn State this Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
ET on CBS.
Indiana has paired one of the country’s most productive offenses with a defense that has been just as stingy. ESPN’s Football Power Index ranks the Hoosiers No. 5 on offense and No. 13 on defense. IU is averaging 462.7 total yards per game, good for 20th nationally, and allowing 263.5 yards per game, which ranks 12th in FBS.
Michigan’s numbers tell a different story. The Wolverines are No. 34 in ESPN’s Football Power Index, with the No. 64 offense, No. 24 defense and No. 134 special teams. They are giving up the third-fewest yards per game among FBS defenses, but their offense sits at No. 120 nationally at 315.8 yards per game.
In Other News...
Ohio State Just Got A Clear Warning About Indiana's Quarterback
Indianas quarterback has already drawn a detailed scouting report heading into the matchup with Ohio State, and the message is pretty clear: the Buckeyes cannot treat this as a routine Big Ten assignment. Josh Hoover is expected to be the focal point of Indianas offense, with the discussion around him centered less on raw numbers than on the way the Hoosiers can create stress with their play design. The expectation is that Indiana will lean on deep shots and misdirection to test Ohio States discipline and communication.
For the Buckeyes, the bigger concern may be how much of that plan can be disrupted before it gets rolling. The source pointed to defensive approaches other teams have used against Indiana as possible blueprints, which puts the emphasis on preparation and recognition for Ohio States front and secondary. Hoovers ability to move around adds another layer, but the real issue is whether Ohio State can identify the counters fast enough when Indiana starts pushing the ball vertically and changing the picture in front of it. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Finally Gets The Early Test Fans Have Been Waiting For
Indianas narrow win over Nebraska did more than keep the Hoosiers moving forward, it preserved some real weight around their upcoming trip to Columbus. For Ohio State, that means the early stretch finally brings the kind of opponent fans have been waiting to measure this team against, with a conference game that should reveal more than the usual September tune-up.
The Hoosiers are not the same group that rolled through last season, either. They have had to replace star quarterback Fernando Mendoza with Josh Hoover, and that change only adds another layer to a matchup already carrying plenty of interest. For Ohio State, it is the sort of test that can start answering whether the Buckeyes are exactly where they think they are, or still have some proving to do. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Faces A Right Side Decision Before Indiana
Ohio State got a little breathing room with the bye week, but the right side of its offensive line is still something worth watching before Indiana arrives. Starting right tackle Austin Siereveld sat out the Maryland game with an injury and remains questionable, leaving the Buckeyes in a spot where health and continuity matter almost as much as the matchup itself.
Phillips Daniels is back after nearly a month away and is the next man up if Siereveld is not ready. For a team trying to use the extra time wisely, the week off gives Ohio State a chance to sort through a spot that can quietly shape protection, run-game rhythm and how comfortable the offense feels coming out of the break. [Read more 🡒]