HOOSIER BOUNCEBACK? INDIANA AT MICHIGAN GAME PREVIEW

Indiana @ Michigan Preview

CFB Weekly previews a pivotal Big Ten matchup between Indiana and Michigan in week eight.

Michigan:

This Michigan walks into Saturday’s noon kickoff at the Big House in a spot it hasn’t been in before.

For the first time under this new era of the Indiana series, the Wolverines are the underdogs at home against the Hoosiers, who come in as touchdown favorites.

That feels strange, but it also takes some pressure off a team that badly needs a spark. And there’s a lot of buzz around this one, because the spark might already be here.

That spark is Tommy Carr. After weeks of criticism, Bryce Underwood has been pulled, and the freshman Carr gets his first full start against the toughest defense Michigan has seen all year.

Fans are excited, and so is everyone watching to see what this offense looks like with a different guy under center. Offensive coordinator Jason Beck has stayed put, so the real question is whether he adjusts the play calling to fit Carr, the way he seemed to last week.

Here’s what to watch with Carr. Penn State backed off last week because they seemed scared of his vertical threat, but he only threw two passes past 10 yards.

So the book on him is still thin. Indiana hasn’t seen much of him either, and they’ll spend the early part of this game trying to figure out what he really is.

Expect the Hoosiers to do what most teams have done to Michigan: load up against the run, dare Carr to beat them through the air, and see if he can take advantage of that space downfield.

That’s a tough task against an Indiana defense that SP+ ranks second in the country and that sits fourth nationally in sacks.

They’ve also picked off three passes over the last couple of weeks, so they’ll be hunting for big plays. Carr has to stay calm, use his legs when it’s there, and avoid the drive-killing mistakes that have haunted this offense all season.

The good news is that Michigan’s defense is the real deal. The Wolverines lead the nation in yards per play allowed, and that stout group is why this game isn’t a lost cause, even as underdogs.

Indiana: 

Josh Hoover has gaudy numbers, with 18 touchdowns and no interceptions, but he completed just 50 percent of his passes last week and was more good than great against Northwestern and Nebraska. If Michigan keeps penalties and coverage busts down, and trusts the secondary while stacking the line, this defense can give Hoover a long afternoon.

Indiana comes in fresh off its first loss in 22 games, a heartbreaker to Ohio State that ended on that wild catch with Marsh stepping out of bounds.

Two years ago, Kurt Cignetti took a program that wasn’t known for much and turned it into a powerhouse, and these Hoosiers will be eager to prove last week was a blip. Losing twice in a row to the conference’s heavyweights would raise some questions.

Outlook:

So you’ve got a hungry, bruised favorite against a team with a new quarterback and a lot to prove. Michigan’s best path is easy offensive possessions, a few takeaways, and no big field position or time of possession hole. A win would completely change the feel of this season. Kickoff is at noon on FOX.