Michigan Football: Updated expectations for Wolverines after Indiana

Michigan football barely escaped with an overtime win over Indiana, but what does it mean in the big picture? Is it time to adjust our expectations again?

When it comes down to it, winning is the only thing that matters. But as the Michigan football team learned this past weekend, the way that you win counts, at least when it comes to the polls.

Related Story: Is Michigan stuck with John O'Korn?

Following the Wolverines 27-20 overtime win over Indiana Saturday, Michigan football dropped two spots in the AP Poll, from 17 to 19. Strangely, UM moved up in the coaches poll to 15. But still, despite the win, the mood surrounding the team is less than optimistic.

The loss of Wilton Speight has hit the Wolverines hard. Turns out, he wasn’t as bad as we thought. In fact, he was much better. Speight has his warts. But he can throw the ball down the field and he can stand in the pocket and deliver an accurate ball. John O’Korn gets jumpy and his deep ball leaves much to be desired.

Yet, Speight isn’t coming back and who knows if Jim Harbaugh will ever give Brandon Peters a chance. Michigan football might be stuck with O’Korn and if so, is it time to adjust our expectations? Was the struggle against Indiana a sign of things to come or just another example of how hard it is to win on the road or at all in the Big Ten?

After all, Ohio State struggled in the same stadium, against the same team. Wisconsin also had difficulty with Purdue at Camp Randall, a team Michigan beat by 18 a couple weeks ago.

Indiana is a program on the rise. And for whatever reason, over the past three years, they have given Michigan fits. The two programs went to overtime in 2015, before the Wolverines won. Then last year, UM rallied to win another close game. So it wasn’t overly surprising to see the Hoosiers hang around again.

More: The Soul of the Indiana game

Michigan’s defense is great, there’s no question, but the offense has to at least be average. Karan Hidgon’s big day was a positive. His 200 rushing yards and three touchdowns saved the day. With Higdon, Ty Isaac and Chris Evans, the Wolverines have the potential to be a great running team, but can they do it with consistency against elite teams?

Michigan Wolverines Football

That question will be answered Saturday, when Michigan football takes on second-ranked Penn State in Happy Valley. We will see how the Wolverines perform against the defending conference champs, who look like legit College Football Playoff contenders.

Certainly, the loss to Michigan State was concerning, but the Penn State game will tell us much more. Obviously, if UM wants to have a shot in the Big Ten East, this game is a must win. But more than that, Michigan needs to prove it can play with the best.

This offense needs to get some confidence and O’Korn needs to prove once and for all he is worthy of being the starter. If he can’t get it done or if he continues to look horrible, than Harbaugh has to go to Peters against Rutgers. This game should be the last stand for O’Korn and in a way, it could be the last stand for Michigan football’s high expectations.

Many, including myself, thought the Wolverines were good enough to contend for a Big Ten championship, a playoff spot or at least a berth in a New Year’s Six bowl.

But now, it’s hard to know what to think about Michigan. Are they an 8-4 team with a great defense? Or are they a program that can compete with anyone, even the No. 2 team, on the road?

Next: Top 10 Michigan Running Backs of All Time

At this point, we don’t know. But by the end of the Penn State game Saturday, we will have the best idea yet, just how good the 2017 Wolverines are and how good they can potentially be.