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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

sports football

COLUMN: Michigan offers IU the potential for a breakthrough win

​Senior wide receiver Simmie Cobbs Jr. attempts to run with the ball before being tackled by Charleston Southern during the Oct. 7 game at Memorial Stadium. IU (3-2) plays No. 17 Michigan (4-1) today in Bloomington. 

There’s an ancient Greek myth about Sisyphus. 

Sisyphus was a king who was punished by having to roll a massive boulder up a hill. Every time he rolled the boulder up the hill, the boulder rolled back down the hill and hit him. 

He’s doomed to repeat this task for eternity. 

The IU football program is Sisyphus right now. Whenever IU takes on a Big Ten power, the Hoosiers keep the game relatively close, but aren’t able to secure the victory for whatever reason. In the past three seasons, IU has had chance after chance to defeat a blue blood program. 

IU Coach Tom’s Allen’s next chance to break the cycle and earn a program defining victory comes Saturday against No. 17 Michigan. 


The history is stacked against an upset though, and Allen talked about how the Hoosiers have to create the breakthrough moment, even though the weight of the past is heavy.

“It doesn't happen through talking about it, you have to live it, you have to experience it,” Allen said. “And to me, I'm a guy that goes back and studies history, and we haven't beaten Michigan in 30 years. And we have beaten them twice in the past 50 years.”

This hasn’t been a rivalry – it hasn’t even been a contest. 

However, the last two times these two teams played, it has been relatively close. The last time Michigan came to Bloomington in 2015, IU lost in heartbreaking fashion in double overtime. 

Last season in Ann Arbor, Michigan, IU led Michigan at halftime, but fell to the Wolverines by 10. 

Both times the Hoosiers have been close, but not good enough to earn the victory. 

Saturday’s contest should be close once again because the strengths of these two teams are their defenses. Both Michigan and IU have dominant defenses that have been the backbone of their respective teams so far this season. 

In IU’s last game against Charleston Southern, the Hoosiers shut out the Buccaneers. The unit believes in themselves, and rightly so. 

“I don't care who you play, it's still confidence,” Allen said. “You played well, you got a shut out, they're hard to get. We take a lot of pride in our defense here and our kids work really, really hard. So, we made a big deal about the shut out to them, once they got it.”

IU’s defense will keep the Hoosiers in the game, but it is up to IU’s offense to win the game.

Charleston Southern was an easy first start for freshman quarterback Peyton Ramsey, but the challenge goes from zero to 100 real quick. Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown consistently has the best defenses in the nation and this year’s group of Wolverines is no exception. 

Michigan is dominant at keeping teams from staying on schedule and being able to move the chains. Per Football Study Hall, Michigan has the number one ranked defense in terms of efficiency.

That means that IU’s going to struggle to consistently move the ball and go on long drives against Michigan. That means Ramsey needs to connect with junior wide receiver Simmie Cobbs Jr. and senior tight end Ian Thomas on explosive pass plays. 

We haven’t seen that yet from Ramsey, but if the Hoosiers are going to have any chance, IU is going to have to hit on some deep passes or long runs from Ramsey or freshman running back Morgan Ellison.

That won’t be easy. 

Saturday is homecoming for IU. It’s also Allen’s next chance to earn that breakthrough win and looking at IU’s remaining schedule, this is likely the best chance. 

The Hoosiers have a chance to finally get that boulder to the top of the mountain.

aphussey@indiana.edu

@thehussnetwork 

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