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An unexpected loss against Michigan State last week has made the road for the Michigan football team bumpier. This week, instead of coming into this game 2-0 with back-to-back rivalry wins, Michigan comes in 1-1, and now must try to upset Indiana, which is ranked 13th, the best since 1987. What happened in 1987 when Michigan played Indiana? Indiana beat the Wolverines.
Since that loss in 1987, Michigan has won 24 straight games against the Hoosiers. Not all of those 24 have been blowouts. In the last 10 games, Michigan has won by more than 10 in just five. Indiana has given Michigan closer battles the past few years. This time, Indiana will look to hold off underdog Michigan instead of the other way around.
Heading into this game, the biggest talking point from the Indiana side is about Michigan starting quarterback Joe Milton and how he can dictate this game. Indiana defensive coordinator Kane Wommack spoke about how Milton uses his legs like the other quarterbacks they have seen so far.
“Looking on at Joe Milton, I think you’re talking a big body that does have the dual-threat ability,” Wommack said. “He can make all the throws on the field. I think he’s getting better as a decision-maker. I think Joe Milton is a player that can extend plays with his feet and gets the first down when he needs to and all those things.”
Wommack wasn’t alone talking about the Wolverines as a few defensive players spoke out and praised the Michigan offense.
“Joe Milton, he’s a big guy,” safety Devon Matthews said. “They got a great group of receivers, but I think we got a great group of DB’s, and I think we match up in a man-on-man game. They step on the field with us; we’re going to come out victorious.”
“They have a good running game,” linebacker Micah McFadden said. “A lot of guard pulls and stuff like that, get the perimeter game going. So we gotta have good edges to our defense. Gotta be good on the back end, just knowing where our fits are, where the safety rotation is. And also just protecting inside seam throws, he likes the middle of the field, that’s where he’s pretty comfortable throwing so we gotta protect that.”
When discussing the defense, Indiana offensive coordinator and former Michigan quarterback Nick Sheridan discussed the matchup this weekend.
“It’s hard to say that you know a ton about Michigan’s defense after two games other than what you would expect from a Don Brown and Jim Harbaugh defense would be extremely fast and physical, extremely well-coached,” Sheridan said. “And just being transparent, in the game this past week, Michigan State was able to hit some big plays down the field. That was really the gist of what happened. There was a lot of very competitive and great plays by Michigan’s defense; there’s no doubt about it. Both their defensive ends are as quality as they are in this league, their linebackers can run, their DB’s have length, and Don Brown is a fantastic defensive coordinator, so it’ll be a great challenge, we know that.”
“There’s been times, since my time here at Indiana, that Michigan’s defense has been suffocating, and I’m certain that they feel like that’s what they’re building toward,” Sheridan said. “We certainly expect Michigan’s defense to be stout-like they always are and always will be, and it’ll be a great challenge.”
Michigan takes on Indiana at noon EST on FS1 as the Wolverines go on the road to Bloomington, Indiana, to fix its mistakes last week.
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