Indiana football entered Michigan Stadium on Saturday looking to upset No. 9 Michigan and earn its first Power Five win of the season. Three and a half hours later, after a 29-7 drubbing at the hands of Michigan, Indiana was eliminated from bowl eligibility, ending its postseason hopes early.
“It hurts,” senior linebacker Micah McFadden said in a postgame press conference. “I think the locker room, everybody feels the same in there. Expectations were higher at the beginning and this isn’t what we expected, so this one hurts.”
Down to its last healthy scholarship quarterback, Indiana turned to conservative play calling in order to beat the sixth ranked opponent it has faced this season.
The Hoosiers relied heavily on checkdowns, out routes and quarterback sneaks. They averaged only 3.2 yards per play, not nearly enough to enter Ann Arbor, Michigan, and leave with an upset.
Indiana’s longest completed pass of the game was a 20-yard flea-flicker freshman quarterback Donaven McCulley threw to senior tight end Peyton Hendershot in the second quarter. Five plays later Indiana picked up its longest run, a 24-yard quarterback draw where McCulley broke one tackle and lowered his shoulder into another defender. Indiana scored two plays later, punching in its only touchdown from a yard out.
McCulley finished that drive 7-14 passing with 69 yards. He’d only complete three more passes in the game for 19 yards.
“Tonight there were times he looked like a true freshman put in a tough spot,” head coach Tom Allen said. “There were also times he made some really good plays. Every snap he takes is great for his future and for our future.”
The loss, Indiana’s seventh of the season, means the team is no longer able to reach the six wins needed for bowl eligibility.
“Maybe we’re not bowl eligible, but this team’s going to keep fighting to the very end,” McFadden said. “I don’t see anyone giving up, hanging their head in there.”
There are only so many ways for a football team to get beat. Against Ohio State, Indiana was chased off the field by an overpowered offense. Michigan State beat Indiana with a strong defense that never showed any holes.
The Wolverines ended the Hoosiers’ bowl hopes by dominating each and every matchup — more rushing yards behind better line blocking, more receptions from receivers and a better defense preventing scoring.
After Indiana scored to bring the game back within three in the second quarter, Michigan senior running back Hassan Haskins found a running lane and turned it into a 62-yard rush.
“That right there was a crucial time,” senior defensive back Bryant Fitzgerald said. “We had the momentum, offense just scored. If the defense gets a stop and gets the offense back the ball, who knows what the game could be. That right there was a turning point for the whole game.”
Despite being a two-score game through the third quarter, Indiana was unable to piece together any form of comeback. Indiana created 53 yards of offense in the second half and its only drive that lasted longer than three plays was a nine-play, 29-yard drive ending in a turnover on downs.
Even Indiana’s special teams was outplayed. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Indiana’s punt defense ran directly into Michigan’s punt returner, who had called a fair catch. Michigan declined the kick catch interference penalty because the ball rolled farther upfield than the 15 yards the penalty would add.
Indiana returns to Bloomington to play Rutgers on Nov. 13 at Memorial Stadium. When it takes the field, it won’t have any postseason chances to play for, but Allen said he wants his team to focus on the three games left on the schedule.
“Bottom line, we’ve gotta get ready to play next week,” Allen said. “Didn’t change. Gotta play our best football next week.”
