There is no better way to welcome the reigning National Champions to town than rolling out a freshman quarterback in his first career start. Yup, Michigan is going with Tommy Carr against the Indiana Hoosiers, leaving former five-star recruit Bryce Underwood on the bench since he started his career with the Wolverines.
The Hoosiers are coming off a loss to Ohio State that was inches away from being a win if wide receiver Nick Marsh had known where his feet were on the sideline. Michigan, on the other hand, is coming off a win over Penn State, where Carr came in at the start of the second half and led the Wolverines on three touchdown drives to a win.
Even with the win, Michigan is coming in as the underdog to the reigning champs, even with the game in Ann Arbor. The betting line has stayed steady since opening after the completion of both games, but can the Wolverines pull off the upset?
Finals odds for No. 6 Indiana vs. Michigan in Week 8
Odds are provided by FanDuel Sportsbook
Spread
- Indiana: -7.5 (-105)
- Michigan: +7.5 (-115)
Moneyline
- Indiana: -310
- Michigan: +245
Total
- O/U: 42.5 (-114/-106)
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Tommy Carr will shine even in Michigan's loss to Indiana
Carr is about to make his first college career start, and it comes at a place where his last name carries a lot of weight. Not only does he have the expectation of living up to what his brother, CJ Carr, has done at Notre Dame over the last year and a half, but also to his father and grandfather, who donned the Maize and Blue many years ago.
Being named the starter early in the week was key for Carr getting all the reps he needs with the starters, getting him comfortable in the system. Hopefully, offensive coordinator Jason Beck will be more willing to go deeper into the playbook for Carr, instead of keeping things basic like he did for Underwood.
With a full week of practice, Carr should hopefully feel pretty good about heading into the matchup, and honestly, it won't be easy against the Hoosiers. I think Carr has what it takes, though, to come out and perform very well, even with the prediction that Michigan is going to drop this one.
Michigan's defense will be key in whether the Wolverines are actually able to pull off the upset or not. Jay Hill's unit has been carrying this team all season, and hopefully, with a new quarterback under center, it can take some pressure off that side of the ball.
Curt Cignetti doesn't like losing, (what head coach does?) but this is the first loss the Hoosiers have suffered since the throttling they took at the hands of Notre Dame in the 2024 College Football Playoff. So, seeing how Cignetti's team bounces back will be interesting.
I believe Carr will play well and show that he deserves to be the starter, but the Hoosiers will bring a lot of firepower that even the Wolverines' defense will struggle to stop. Carr plays well, but can't quite keep up with Indiana, resulting in a loss for Michigan.
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