Indiana Football (9-0, 6-0 in Big Ten) looks to become the first team in program history to amass the ten win threshold as they play host to the Michigan Wolverines (5-4, 3-3 in Big Ten) in front of a sold out Memorial Stadium.
Last week, Indiana spotted Michigan State ten points in the first quarter, then proceeded to score 47 unanswered points en route to a beat down of the Spartans in East Lansing. Kurtis Rourke returned from injury and was spectacular, competing 19 of his 29 passes for 263 yards and 4 touchdowns.
As for the Wolverines, they fell to top-ranked Oregon at the Big House 38-17. Quarterback Davis Warren went 12 of 21 for 164 yards and 2 touchdowns in the loss.
Saturday's game marks the first time in history that a ranked Indiana program will play an unranked Michigan program, before kickoff comes Saturday, here's what you need to know regarding the Hoosiers' week eleven showdown with the Wolverines.
LAST MEETING
After a Donovan McCulley pass to Jaylin Lucas to give the Hoosiers a 7-0 first quarter lead, the Wolverines scored 52-unanswered en route to their seventh victory of the season.
Tayven Jackson and Brendan Sorsby were a combined 13/28 for 96 yards while Donovan McCulley completed one pass for 44 yards and the lone touchdown.
The Wolverines lead the series 62-10 and are on a three game win streak after Indiana's 38-21 victory during the 2020 Covid season.
INJURY UPDATES
There are no known new injuries at this point and the mandated availability report is set to release two hours before kickoff on Saturday – around :30 p.m.
STORYLINES TO WATCH
Can Indiana get the run game going?
This week presents Indiana's run game with its toughest test yet. Michigan has one of the top run defenses in the country and has a talented line doing all the hard work. Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton will have their work cut out for them, but will Indiana's offensive line be able to create holes for the backs?
To be fair, the same was said about the Nebraska defensive line and Indiana's offensive line parted the red sea for Justice Ellison all afternoon long. The Wolverine secondary is depleted and will be fragile, but Indiana will need to establish a ground game in order to effectively pass the football.
The first drive will be important to establish dominance in the trenches and it will be a sign of what's to come for the rest of the game.
How dominant can Indiana be defensively?
For those who haven't watched Michigan football since its national championship victory in January, they will be met with a completely different offense. The Wolverines have been a shell of what they were last year and haven't been half as potent as they were in their championship winning season.
With that being said, it's up to Indiana to continue to do its thing defensively and solidify themselves as one of the most dominant defenses in the country. Obviously last week Indiana was able to get past spotting Michigan State ten points, but it cannot turn into a regular thing. There are no known weaknesses in the Hoosier defense and they need to start strong and utilize the sold out Memorial Stadium to its advantage.
Matchup to Watch: Elijah Sarratt vs Michigan DBs
ESPN's Pete Thamel announced Friday afternoon that Michigan will once again be without star cornerback Will Johnson for Saturday's game. Johnson suffered an injury against Illinois on October 19th and hasn't played since.
This opens the door for Elijah Sarratt to break out in a big way against a depleted Wolverine secondary. As seen all season, Sarratt gets open better than any receiver in the conference, thus the Waffle House nickname, but it is imperative that he can breakaway and get open for Kurtis Rourke.
Expect a big day for Sarratt, introducing himself to the college landscape on CBS.
QUICK HITTERS
Who?: No. 8 Indiana (9-0, 6-0 in Big Ten) vs Michigan (5-4, 3-3 in Big Ten)
When?: Saturday, November 9th, 3:30 EST
Where?: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana
Projected Forecast: Mostly Sunny, 61 degrees, Wind 10-15 MPH SE
TV: CBS. Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (analyst), Jenny Dell (sideline)
Radio: IU Radio Network, Don Fischer (play-by-play), Buck Suhr (analyst), John Herrick
Vegas: IU -13.5, o/u 49.5
ESPN SP+: Indiana 30-18, 78% chance of Hoosier victory
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