Michigan Football: Quick Thoughts After 27-20 Victory Over Indiana

Michigan football improves to 5-1 after an ugly overtime win against Indiana. Here are our thoughts in the immediate aftermath of the game.

Indiana may have a new head coach this year, but the game Michigan football played against the Hoosiers looked all too familiar. The game was incredibly ugly, with neither team even getting a first down for an extended time of the game.

Ultimately, Michigan held on after Indiana forced the game into overtime with a field goal in the closing seconds of regulation. The Wolverines have won 22 straight in this series, but every year the Hoosiers make it interesting.

The Michigan offense continues to struggle, especially at quarterback. John O’Korn only completed 10 of his 20 passes, for a grand total of 58 yards. That’s a pitiful 2.9 yards per passing attempt. O’Korn struggled to make even the simplest reads. The one impressive play of the day for the senior QB came when he avoided a sack to hit Donvoan Peoples-Jones on a small window for a first down.

Late in the game, Michigan football completely gave up on putting the ball in the air. Luckily for them, the running game was on fire. Michigan ran the ball 44 times for a total of 271 yards, averaging 6.2 yards-per-carry.

Karan Higdon was the star of the show. The sophomore running back had a career-best 200 yards on the day on 25 carries. He averaged 8 yards per carry and gave the Wolverines all three of their touchdowns. Higdon received the ball on Michigan’s first play in overtime, and that’s all the team needed. He made that 25-yard touchdown look easy.

Ty Isaac also contributed with 5.4 yards per carry in limited snaps. Chris Evans didn’t fare nearly as well, getting just 5 yards on 8 carries.

Despite giving up the most points it has all season, Michigan’s defense was as stingy as ever. Indiana’s late touchdown only came because a 53-yard punt return by J-Shun Harris gave the Hoosiers great field position in the red zone.

Maurice Hurst was a key piece of the defense, with 1.5 tackles for loss and a huge blocked field goal early in the game. That blocked field goal was picked up by Lavert Hill to set up Michigan’s second field goal of the game. Hill also added a key tackle-for-loss and an interception late in the game.

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Towards the end of the game, Michigan’s defense looked like it was starting to get hurt and/or tired. Rashan Gary left the game briefly favoring one arm before Indiana’s late touchdown. Luckily he re-entered the game. He was another Michigan football MVP, with 7 total tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, 2 QB hits and a sack.

Michigan’s front dominated at the end when it needed to. Indiana needed a touchdown to send the game into a second overtime, and could hardly move an inch despite four chances on the goal line. A Tyree Kinnel interception sealed the deal for Michigan.

The Wolverines still need some work. Penalties were a killer for Michigan throughout the game. Delays of game, offsides, pass interferences, and holding calls all seemed to come at the worst times and helped keep Indiana in the game. There was one play that had three different flags on Michigan’s defense.

Meanwhile, the offense looks like a lost cause. Michigan ran well against a pretty good Hoosiers defense, but that won’t be enough to beat better teams if O’Korn is a non-factor. Every time he touches the ball, it looks more and more likely that we may see Brandon Peters in the near future.

Michigan football avoided an upset on what has already been a wild weekend for upsets of top teams. However, they simply cannot continue to play at this level going forward.

Next: When is it time for Peters?

The Wolverines are heading to Happy Valley next week for their biggest challenge yet. Penn State has a bye week this week, and will likely be the No. 2 team in the nation after Clemson’s loss this weekend. Saquon Barkley is a Heisman frontrunner. Michigan’s defense will likely not be able to carry the team enough in that game. The offense will need to show signs of life.

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