TheHoosier.com's staff provides their predictions, in roundtable format, ahead of Indiana's week 11 matchup against Michigan.
JIM COYLE
Indiana football continues to break and reset program records on a weekly basis and the Hoosiers have yet another opportunity to do more of the same this Saturday. For the first & only time in Indiana program history, to the best of my knowledge, the Cutter's will play and host Michigan as a 2-score favorite (-14.5). Until now Vegas has been leery of the Hoosiers, but that appears to have changed. What hasn't changed is that Curt Cignetti has one of the best college football teams in the country, with a high-octane offense and a defense that attacks opponents like they stole Bryant Haines' lunch money.
Completely lacking a passing attack, the Wolverines have been a one-dimensional offensive team relying heavily on the run game. But the Maize & Blue only average 165 YPG on the ground. And, unfortunately for the Wolverines, the Hoosiers have been a red wall on the D-Line and are currently #1 in all of Division-1 football allowing just 72.6 ypg on the ground, 7 running TDs in 9 games, and just 13.6 ppg in total. Do we even need to talk about Indiana's offense? I'll be brief. IU has the 2nd most efficient passing game in the country averaging over 10 YPA and 14 YPC, per game. Michigan is #95 in passing yardage allowed. On top of that the Hoosiers add another 192 YPG running the ball. A new week, but it's the same, sweet song for Indiana football fans. They are simply the better coached and superior team. Hoosiers go to 10-0, crossing the double-digit win total for another, new program record.
Prediction: Indiana wins 48-14
ZACH BROWNING
Indiana's looking to improve to 10-0 this season on Saturday against Michigan, and I think the Hoosiers do so. For starters, there is no team Indiana has played this season that has been about to slow down its offense. Michigan has a good defense, but not a great defense. I hesitate to say it may be the best defensive unit the Hoosiers have faced this season. If it is, it's only by a slight margin. Because of that, I don't think a healthy Kurtis Rourke will have any problem picking apart a weaker Michigan secondary. On the flip side, Michigan's offense is so one-dimensional that I think the Wolverines will find it difficult to score on the Hoosiers's defense. Indiana's defensive line is improving exponentially as the season goes on. The Hoosiers could theoretically put eight defenders in the box on each play, and force Wolverine quarterback Davis Warren to beat them through the air -- something he hasn't shown an ability to do against anyone this season. Michigan's offense has struggled this year, and I think Indiana wins that matchup going away. The matchup to watch will be the Hoosiers' offense against the Wolverines' defense, a matchup that I think Indiana has the upper hand in once again.
Prediction: Indiana wins 41-14
JOSH POS
Week after week, scar tissue fades a little bit more about Indiana football. Last week come from behind blowout victory was something that fans never saw coming. There is a moxie to this team that they are invincible and I don't blame them. They went down 10-0 in the first quarter on the road and went on to pummel Michigan State.
This week brings a new challenge for Indiana. Not only playing against the team across the field, but the name and brand of the team across the field. The block 'M' has been an issue for Indiana for 50-plus years. There have been close games, but outside of 2020, there has been a severe lack of winning for Indiana.
Now that Indiana is 9-0, there is more confidence in the fan base, but that doesn't matter. The guys in the locker room believe that they can beat the defending National Champions by a large margin on Saturday. I'm starting to agree with them now. I think the defense is going to have a field day against a mediocre Wolverine offense, all while Kurtis Rourke and the offense get over some early struggles en route to another big victory in front of yet another sold out Memorial Stadium, which, pun incoming, should be rocking on Saturday afternoon. It will be close for a little bit, but the Hoosiers will step on the gas and never let go on their way to win number 10.
Prediction: Indiana wins 30-11
COLIN MCMAHON
With each week that Indiana adds another win, we keep wondering when that first loss is going to come and some believe that it'll be this week against Michigan.
It is Michigan and it is the defending national champion, this is not a good Big Ten football team and I think that Indiana takes this one pretty handily.
In what could be the best environment Memorial Stadium has seen all year, I think that the Hoosiers open up some eyes on Saturday as, even with Michigan being an average at best team, the committee and others will value a win against a historical powerhouse.
As for how I think the game will go, I think that IU will have a great a pass attack, but I think the rushing game will impress more than most think it will.
Even with Michigan's biggest strength being its rush defense, I think the IU offensive line is equipped to handle the challenge, that's how good its been all season long.
IU's defense should also play well, as Michigan's rotating QB room hasn't been great this season, including Davis Warren who will start against IU.
All this should result in a Hoosier victory, moving them to 10-0 and possibly moving them into the top five of the CFP rankings.
Prediction: Indiana wins 41-17
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