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    IU football game day: Indiana at Michigan primer and prediction

    Mike SchumannBy IU Football No Comments
    Photo credit - Michigan Athletics

    The sun came up and another massive opportunity awaits Indiana.

    The Hoosiers arrive at Michigan seeking their second-straight win over the Wolverines, and their first win in Ann Arbor since 1967.

    Here’s everything you need to know about Indiana’s week 8 matchup against Michigan.

    No. 6 INDIANA HOOSIERS (6-1) at MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (4-2)

    • Kickoff:  Noon ET, Saturday
    • Location:  Ann Arbor, Michigan; Michigan Stadium (107,601)
    • Television:  FOX — Gus Johnson (pbp), Joel Klatt (color) & Jenny Taft (sideline)
    • Stream:  FOX Sports
    • Radio:  IU Football radio network
    • Odds:  Indiana is around a 7.5-point favorite
    • Weather at kickoff:  58 degrees, sunny, wind 4 mph, 0% chance of precipitation.
    • Series:  Michigan leads the all-time series 62-11.  IU won last meeting 20-15 in 2024.
    • Tickets:  SOLD OUT.  Use our StubHub affiliate link
    • The Coaches:
      • Curt Cignetti is in his third year as the head coach at IU.  He holds a 152-38 record in his 16th season as a college head coach.  He’s 33-3 at Indiana.
      • Kyle Whittingham is the head coach of Michigan.  He’s in his first year at Michigan and 181-90 as a head coach.

    GAMEDAY TIMELINE

    THE COMPLETE BIG TEN WEEK 8 SLATE

    Saturday, October 24

    • Indiana at Michigan — 12 p.m., FOX
    • Rutgers at Northwestern — 12 p.m., Peacock
    • Oregon at Illinois — 3 p.m., Big Ten Network
    • Michigan State at UCLA — 3:30 p.m., CBS
    • Iowa at Minnesota — 3:30 p.m., FS1
    • USC at Wisconsin — 7:30 p.m., NBC / Peacock

    TALE OF THE TAPE 

    AVAILABILITY REPORT

    Image

    MICHIGAN RESULTS

    Date Time At Opponent Location Result
    Sep 5 (Sat) 7:30 PM Home Western Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich. W 13-12
    Sep 12 (Sat) Noon Home #11 Oklahoma Ann Arbor, Mich. W 17-10
    Sep 19 (Sat) 3:30 PM Home UTEP Ann Arbor, Mich. W 52-17
    Sep 26 (Sat) 3:30 PM Home #17 Iowa Ann Arbor, Mich. L 19-20
    Oct 3 (Sat) 11:00 AM CT Away Minnesota Minneapolis, Minn. L 14-20
    Oct 17 (Sat) 3:30 PM Home Penn State Ann Arbor, Mich. W 21-18

    MICHIGAN NOTES AND NUMBERS

    (Via Michigan Athletics)

    MATCHUP

    • Michigan’s .849 winning percentage against Indiana is the program’s highest against any conference opponent.
    • Michigan holds a 36-7 all-time record against Indiana at Michigan Stadium.
    • The Wolverines have won 22 straight home games against the Hoosiers, including a 52-7 victory in 2023.
    • Indiana’s last win at Michigan Stadium was a 27-20 victory in 1967.

    MICHIGAN OFFENSE

    • The U-M offense came alive after halftime against Penn State, totaling 21 points and 221 yards (174 rushing) in the second half while averaging 7.4 yards per play.
    • Michigan has recorded 100 first downs this season — 46 rushing, 45 passing and nine by penalty.
    • While the Wolverines are working to improve their third-down conversion rate of 40.8 percent (29-for-71), the offense has converted 71.4 percent of its fourth-down attempts (5-for-7), ranking 19th nationally.
    • Michigan’s offense is seeking greater consistency and balance in explosive plays (20-plus yards). The offense has generated 16, including 12 through the passing game. Against Penn State, U-M broke through with three explosive rushing plays.
    • The passing game has produced four touchdowns on explosive plays, including three connections between quarterback Bryce Underwood and wide receiver JJ Buchanan.
    • JJ Buchanan (seven) and Andrew Marsh (four) lead the team in explosive offensive plays, all on receptions. Marsh led U-M in 2025 with 15 explosive plays on offense (14 receiving, one rushing) and another eight on special teams returns.
    • Jordan Marshall leads the team with four rushing touchdowns, while JJ Buchanan has a team-high four receiving touchdowns.
    • U-M has two receivers who have combined for four 100-yard games this season: JJ Buchanan (126 vs. Western Michigan, 130 vs. Iowa) and Andrew Marsh (105 vs. UTEP, 106 vs. Iowa).
    • Against Penn State, U-M recorded multiple explosive runs in a game for the first time this season. Runs of 43 yards (Bryson Kuzdzal, touchdown), 22 yards (Tommy Carr) and 41 yards (Savion Hiter) were three of Michigan’s four longest rushes this season, along with a 38-yard touchdown run by Bryce Underwood.
    • The offensive line continues to develop. Four players have made double-digit starts at Michigan: left guard/tackle Evan Link (23 starts, 22 at tackle), right tackle Andrew Sprague (15), center Jake Guarnera (16, including 10 at guard) and tackle Blake Frazier (14, including four at right tackle).
    • The unit helped produce Michigan’s best rushing performance of the season against Penn State (211 yards), its first game with more than 200 rushing yards since Nov. 22, 2025, at Maryland.
    • The offensive line allows an average of 4.0 tackles for loss per game, ranking 31st nationally, and has used four different starting combinations through six games.
    • The running game has improved as games progress. U-M averages 5.07 yards per carry in the second half, and 14 of its 19 runs of 10-plus yards have come after halftime.
    • Quarterback Tommy Carr saw his first extended action against Penn State, playing the entire second half. Carr completed five of seven passes for 47 yards and scored on a 12-yard touchdown run, leading three touchdown drives in the comeback win.

    MICHIGAN DEFENSE

    • Michigan forced three turnovers against Penn State (two interceptions and a strip sack), its third game with multiple takeaways this season (also Oklahoma and Minnesota).
    • Through six games, U-M has allowed 10 touchdowns and ranks 21st nationally in scoring defense (16.2 points per game). No opponent has scored more than 14 points in a half against Michigan this season.
    • The defense ranks 25th nationally in tackles for loss per game (6.5), led by John Henry Daley with 6.0.
    • Daley also leads the team with 4.0 sacks. Eleven different players have recorded at least a share of a sack this season.
    • Michigan ranks 14th nationally in passing defense, allowing 166.8 yards per game. Opposing passers have thrown seven touchdowns and six interceptions.
    • The rush defense has held opponents below 100 yards three times, allowing 89.7 yards per game (13th nationally). Minnesota and Penn State are the only teams to score rushing touchdowns against U-M this season, though the Nittany Lions were limited to 65 rushing yards.
    • The defense has forced eight turnovers in six games, including six interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. U-M is one of six teams nationally with multiple defensive touchdowns.

    MICHIGAN SPECIAL TEAMS

    • Kicker Trey Butkowski made 19 of 22 field-goal attempts in his lone season at Pitt after joining the team as a walk-on. He is 4-for-4 this season.
    • Punter Cam Brown averaged 43.9 yards on 22 punts during his freshman season at Utah and has averaged 41.9 yards per punt this season.
    • Brown has punted 30 times this season, placing 13 inside the 20-yard line. He has forced 13 fair catches and had two punts downed at the 1-yard line against Oklahoma, when he pinned the Sooners inside their 20 on six of seven attempts.
    • Kickoff specialist Jacob Baggett has recorded 17 touchbacks on 26 kickoffs.
    • U-M is one of eight teams nationally to have blocked or tipped multiple punts.
    • Freshman Salesi Moa made his debut as Michigan’s punt returner against Penn State, recording two fair catches and one return for nine yards.

    MORE MICHIGAN WEEK COVERAGE

    PREDICTIONS

    Indiana’s in for a third straight Big Ten slog.

    You know the routine by now.  With it’s young but mobile quarterback, Michigan will try to shorten the game with the running game, roll outs and quick hitters that lead to long drives.

    While the game follows Michigan’s script, the Hoosiers do just enough.

    TDH PREDICTION:  INDIANA 20 MICHIGAN 13

    • ESPN SP+ (Computer):  Indiana 26 Michigan 18 (69% win probability for IU)
    • ESPN FPI (Computer):  Indiana has a 82.2% chance to win.

    For complete coverage of IU football, GO HERE.

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