IU to open Big Ten season with Michigan

Junior quarterback Ben Chappell was 5 months old the last time IU beat Michigan.

IU coach Bill Lynch was 13 years old the last time IU won in Ann Arbor, Mich.

And only three players on the current roster were even in uniform the last time IU played in Michigan’s Big House.

So when the Hoosiers take their 3-0 record to face Michigan in Ann Arbor this Saturday, “familiarity” – especially with winning – will be the last word that comes to mind.

And if one week isn’t tough enough, the Hoosiers will return home next Saturday for a game against Ohio State.

Despite being conference teams, these two powerhouse opponents have not faced IU since 2006.

The Big Ten Conference rotates eight teams out of a team’s schedule in pairs for two-year stints. The Buckeyes and Wolverines were the pair out of the Hoosiers’ schedule in 2007 and 2008.

The last time the Hoosiers played against these two teams was in 2006, losing a combined point total of 78-6. A year earlier was the last time IU traveled to Michigan.

Seniors Jammie Kirlew, Nick Polk and Justin Carrington are the only current players still on the roster from the 2005 game. However, they were redshirted that season, and none of them saw game action.

“Our guys haven’t played them, and they haven’t played us,” Lynch said. “They are not all that familiar with us either, which is unique in conference play.”

The Hoosiers will be playing in a stadium expected to have more than 100,000 fans. In comparison, 90,261 fans attended IU’s first three games combined.

Lynch said his team needs to maintain focus in the loud environment.

“That is the thrill of Big Ten football, so you look forward to it,” Lynch said. “Most importantly is to control what goes between those white lines. ... It sounds simple, but it’s 11 on 11.”
Chappell, a baby when the Hoosiers last won against Michigan in October 1987, said he’s had this game in his mind since he first saw the schedule.

“It’s going to be fun,” Chappell said. “I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while. When I found out we were going to play them and Ohio State – it’s going to be fun.”

Against Michigan, IU also competes against history. The Hoosiers have beaten Michigan twice in the past 40 years and trail 50-9 in the all-time series.

The record against the Buckeyes is about the same. From 1952 through 2009, IU had one stretch from 1987 to 1990 in which it won twice, lost once and tied once.

Otherwise, the Hoosiers lost every other game in the 57-year span.

With Ohio State one week away, the Hoosiers are trying to focus only on Michigan. Lynch said the team should not be intimidated.

“Is there tremendous respect for them? Absolutely. Are they a great football program? Yes. But every game in the Big Ten is huge,” Lynch said. “They all count the same.”

The team is also very optimistic with a 0-0 record in the conference. Freshman running back Darius Willis, who has never participated in a game with a crowd this size, said these contests could become statement games.

“Those can be key victories to get us ranked or later on down the season to see who wins the Big Ten Championship,” Willis said. “When we play those teams, we can see who is really the best in the Big Ten.”