No. 2 Michigan building momentum and isn’t expected to get slowed down by Indiana at home

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/10/2023 (1065 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — No. 2 Michigan is building momentum, following up a 45-7 win over Nebraska with a 52-10 rout of Minnesota last week.

“Feel like we can keep on that trajectory,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “It’s very good to come out of that game seeing the evidence that the team is improving.”

The Wolverines (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) have won won 18 consecutive conference games, one short of the program record set from 1990 to 1992. They have taken advantage of a soft schedule by winning each game by at least 24 points.

Michigan is not expected to slow down Saturday at home against Indiana (2-3, 0-2) in a game it is favored to win by nearly five touchdowns.

CHANGING DIRECTIONS

Indiana coach Tom Allen saw enough from his stagnant offense that on the first day of the bye week he fired coordinator Walt Bell and promoted Rod Carey from quality control coach to play-caller nearly two weeks ago. Carey, a former head coach at Northern Illinois and Temple, has promised he will make changes.

“Take our current structure and improve it,” Allen said he told Carey.

There’s a lot of room for improvement.

The Hoosiers’ offense ranks 12th in the Big Ten with 20.8 points per game, 11th in total offense, 13th on the ground and eighth through the air. Indiana has just four touchdowns against three Power Five opponents and two of those scores came after falling behind 37-3 in the second half two weeks ago at Maryland.

MAKING MOVES

Michigan is outscoring teams 76-0 in the third quarter, the results of halftime adjustments made by coaches on both sides of the ball. “I think we can say it’s not a coincidence,” Harbaugh said.

TAKING SNAPS

While the Hoosiers have a new offensive coordinator, they’re planning to stay the course at quarterback.

Allen insisted Tayven Jackson is the team’s starter even though Brendan Sorsby threw both touchdown passes at Maryland after entering the game in the second half. The second-year quarterbacks competed for the job through the spring, summer and early this season. Each made one start before Allen gave the job to Jackson, a transfer from Tennessee and brother of former Hoosiers basketball star Trayce Jackson-Davis.

MAN IN MIDDLE

The most dominant player on Michigan’s defense in last week’s win at Minnesota was a player coming off thumb surgery.

Defensive tackle Mason Graham, with his left hand in a protective wrap, returned from a two-game absence due to make a team-high six tackles, including a sack and another tackle for a loss.

“He’s becoming a lot of people’s favorite player,” Harbaugh said. “Had a few texts from different people, friends who know football, that were really impressed.”

REMEMBER US?

Michigan tight end A.J. Barner will face his former teammates and quarterback Jack Tuttle may get a chance to also play if the game is lopsided as expected.

Barner was an Indiana captain last season, his third year with the team. Tuttle was a part-time starter for four years with the Hoosiers and played in their last bowl game on Jan. 2, 2021.

Hoosiers defensive lineman Andre Carter will have a homecoming at the Big House.

Carter grew up in Detroit and started his college career at Western Michigan before transferring to Indiana this year. Carter has thrived in the Big Ten, ranking sixth on the team with 20 tackles and fifth in the conference with 20 quarterback pressures.

___

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll