GBMWolverine
Fansided

3 keys for Michigan football against No. 8 Indiana

The Wolverines face another top-10 opponent on Saturday and here are three keys for Michigan football to pull off an upset.

By Chris Peterson

Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore (8), defensive lineman Mason Graham (55) and defensive end Josaiah Stewart (0) tackle Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024.
Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore (8), defensive lineman Mason Graham (55) and defensive end Josaiah Stewart (0) tackle Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 3
Next

One thing Michigan football fans didn't expect when looking at the schedule for the 2024 season was that they would have a top-10 opponent waiting for them in Bloomington, Indiana.

However, the Wolverines will head to Indiana on Saturday to face the eighth-ranked Indiana Hoosiers who are 9-0 after a 47-10 win over Michigan State last week.

The Hoosiers haven't played a difficult schedule and haven't beaten a single ranked team, but they have also won each of their games by at least 14 points, so they are doing what they should against weaker teams and did beat 5-4 Nebraska 56-7.

Ohio State beat that same team 21-17 that next week. So do not underestimate Indiana. Hopefully, Michigan football won't and here are three keys to a Wolverines upset on Saturday.

Be more aggressive on offense

This probably sounds counter-intuitive based on the offense we have seen all season, but part of the reason Michigan struggled so much to run the ball against Oregon and Michigan State is that they have become too predictable.

Michigan football had nine drives against Oregon and started with a run eight times. They almost always start the same way. They don't threaten teams deep and defenses are playing like it.

If you have an elite offensive line, then it probably doesn't matter as much. But Michigan doesn't. So they can't block a loaded box as well they could a year ago. We saw that last week when Kalel Mullings was limited to 16 yards on eight carries.

The cure for that is to throw more on first down. It's going to be a better situation than trying to throw on third and long. Davis Warren has been good enough the past two weeks and U-M should be aggressive and plan for around 30 pass attempts.

Let it all hang out. You're a two-touchdown underdog in a season where all the goals, outside of beating Ohio State and having a winning record, have dissipated. What do you have to lose?

And if Michigan football can throw the ball, it can lighten up the box and actually try to establish the run, which it will need to do in order to beat the Hoosiers.

Home/Michigan Football