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The good, bad and ugly from Michigan Football’s win over Indiana

By Chris Peterson

Michigan's Blake Corum (2) runs for a long gain during the Indiana versus Michigan football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022.Iu Mu Fb 1h Corum 1
Michigan's Blake Corum (2) runs for a long gain during the Indiana versus Michigan football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022.Iu Mu Fb 1h Corum 1 /
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Michigan football notched a 31-10 win over Indiana on Saturday and here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly from the Wolverines’ win. 

Apparently, some of the pundits, and I mean AP college football voters were more concerned about Michigan football following its 31-10 win over Indiana than they should be. 

Following a 21-0 second half against the Hoosiers, Michigan football dropped from fourth to fifth in the AP poll. While I have said I don’t care about polls (I really don’t outside the playoff rankings and final AP poll), it’s still annoying.

I could understand if you were going to move Clemson ahead of Michigan based on the wins over Wake Forest and North Carolina State, but why this week? Clemson struggled against Boston College just as much as Michigan football did with Indiana, but they get a boost?

It just doesn’t make sense. Michigan football needs to play better. Jim Harbaugh said as much after the game, but scoffing at a 21-point road win in the Big Ten is just silly.

Now, we get to the good, bad, and ugly from the Wolverines’ win.

The good: A dominant second half

The offense was way too conservative in the first half and failed on a couple of chances to put some real separation between the two teams with a missed field goal and failure to convert a fourth down and short.

The defense didn’t play a great first half either though. Three times, Indiana moved into scoring range and nearly took the lead multiple times. A field goal block by Mike Morris allowed the game to go into the half at 10-10, but it was the worst half of the season.

Yet, the second half was one of the best. J.J. McCarthy engineered three scoring drives that covered at least 56 yards and one was 98. He threw for over 300 yards and had three touchdown passes. The interception was regrettable but that was his only really bad decision in what was just his fifth career start.

The defense? It dominated in the second half. Indiana didn’t threaten to score again and the Wolverines slammed the door on any hopes of an upset bid by constantly slamming opposing QB Connor Bazelak into the turf (seven sacks).

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