Takeaways: Indiana defeats Michigan for the third time since 1987

Trent Knoop | Nov 9, 2024

Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Michigan had lost just two times against Indiana since 1987. The Wolverines lost in '87 and then you had to fast forward to 2020 to find the second time. But on a brisk Saturday in Bloomington in the year 2024, Michigan dropped another game to Indiana.

The Wolverines are now 5-5 and need to win one of their next two games to make a bowl game. But things don't look very high for this Michigan team -- clearly -- and the Wolverines will enter their second bye week in order to prepare for Northwestern and Ohio State.

But following the 20-15 loss against Indiana, here are five of my takeaways.

1. Indiana is really good, but Michigan lost the game

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I think we're all guilty of this somehow, but we're used to seeing Indiana as a bottom feeder of the Big Ten. Not in 2024. You take that Indiana name and helmet off and just see this team play on the field -- the Playoff committee would have had the Hoosiers higher than No. 8.

And while IU is a really good football team, Michigan lost the game on Saturday -- the Hoosiers didn't take it. The Wolverines had too many self-inflicted wounds and settled for too many field goals inside the red zone.

With that being said, Indiana is really well-coached. Curt Cignetti is a mad genius and he has the Hoosiers playing with a chip on their shoulder. Whatever Cignetti is selling over there is working wonders and the Michigan coaching staff could take a thing or two away from what he's doing in Bloomington.

2. Michigan's defense played more than well enough to win the game

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It's never easy going up against one of the best passing offenses in college football without your star cornerback. Will Johnson missed his third game in a row after leaving early against Illinois.

But even without Johnson, the Wolverines' defense played well enough to win the game. It didn't look good, though. Indiana threw two scores on two long drives. Kurtis Rourke threw it over Zeke Berry and Jyaire Hill, who both allowed touchdown catches.

After those, the Michigan defense really stepped up. The Wolverines allowed the following drives after the second touchdown: 42 yards (TO on downs), zero yards (INT), 14 yards (punt), -16 yards (punt), -4 (punt), 16 yards (FG).

Indiana entered the game by allowing seven total sacks, but the Michigan front was too much for the Hoosiers' offensive line to handle. The Wolverines sacked Rourke four times and pressured him several other.

For everyone who wants Wink Martindale fired, Michigan played one of the top offenses in the country really well.

3. The QB rotation must come to an end

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Stop me if you've heard this before: Michigan de-railed its own drives on Saturday. It's been a common theme with this team and Kirk Campbell at offensive coordinator. The Wolverines are set with using both Davis Warren and Alex Orji, but the experiment should be put to an end.

During the very first drive for Michigan, Warren got the Wolverines deep inside Indiana territory by completing five passes, but Campbell inexplicably put Orji into the game and got nothing on the ground. He then put Warren back into the game, faced pressure, and fumbled the ball. Michigan kicked a field goal.

Then late in the second quarter, Warren completes a tough third down pass to Tyler Morris, had the ball at midfield and Campbell once again puts Orji into the game. Orji fumbles the football and IU recovers and goes down and kicks a field goal.

But it didn't stop there.

Zeke Berry picked off Rourke in the third quarter and Michigan once again put Orji into the game on third down. After getting nothing on third down, the Wolverines once again kicked a field goal.

It's one thing if Michigan allows Orji to throw the football, but it never does. Talk about showing your hand every time No. 10 enters the game.

4. Davis Warren lost his confidence quickly

Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

I blame most of this on Michigan's trust issues it has with letting its quarterback get into a rhythm and staying in the game. But after Warren completed five passes in the opening drive, he completed just two of his next 12 attempts.

Not only was he not connecting on his throws, but Warren was missing on some wide-open throws. One play, Warren hit the B button (spin move on an Xbox controller) to get away from a sack but then overshot two wide-open receivers who were together. That was just one example of what appeared to be his confidence being shaken. He would later miss Kendrick Bell late in the fourth on third down.

Warren finished the game going 16-for-32 for 137 yards.

5. Uh, Kalel Mullings?

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We have no idea what's happened to Kalel Mullings but he appears to be an afterthought in this Michigan offense. For the third game in a row, Donovan Edwards drew the start, but no big deal, right? Well, sophomore Ben Hall came in and received the backup carries.

Mullings didn't see the field until midway through the second quarter. He wasn't listed on Michigan's availability report prior to the game. Which means he wasn't listed as OUT or questionable. The lone carry he received in the first half went for six yards and you didn't see No. 20 again in the first half.

Mullings did start the second half and Sherrone Moore was asked why he didn't play much in the first half. Moore told the CBS crew that both Donovan Edwards and Ben Hall had practiced better and played better so they wanted to feed the hot hand. But Hall had just seven total carries going into the IU game and his last carry came against Illinois.

He has been the hard-nosed runner for the Wolverines all season, but after gaining just 18 and 16 yards, respectively, in the prior two games -- Mullings could be going down the depth chart for some odd reason.

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