INDIANA WINS AT MICHIGAN
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Banged-up quarterback Josh Hoover dug deep. So did the Indiana Hoosiers. There was no choice with history against the No. 6/6 Hoosiers at Michigan Stadium, with the offense struggling and pressure growing on a sun-splashed Saturday afternoon.
Then, when it mattered most, in overtime with a crowd of 111,000 roaring, Hoover completed a 21-yard pass to seldom-used tight end Brock Schott and then ran 4 yards for the winning touchdown, sacrificing his beat-up body in the process.
“This was one of the hardest games of my life,” defensive tackle Mario Landino told Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer during a post-game radio interview, “and one of the most fun games of my life.”
Or, as head coach Curt Cignetti put it to Fischer, “Even in the bleakest moments, we found a way.”
IU (7-1 overall, 4-1 in the Big Ten) bounced back from the previous week’s Ohio State loss to win at Michigan Stadium for the first time since 1967.
“We knew what the challenge was,” Landino told Fischer, “and we had to meet it head on. The defensive buckled down and the offense did what it had to do.”
Yes, IU’s offense managed just 13 points and 212 yards, in part because Hoover wasn’t at his physical best after getting rocked against Ohio State. He was just 8-for-18 for 81 yards that included his first interception of the season. At one point, IU coaches considering going with back-up quarterback Grant Wilson.
“We knew Josh was going to play,” Cignetti told Fischer during another post-game radio interview, “but he wasn’t 100 percent all week.”
The defense refused to let it matter.
Huge sacks by linebacker Rolijah Hardy (minus-14 yards) and defensive lineman Tobi Osunsanmi (minus-13), and a pass deflection by cornerback A.J. Harris helped force Michigan (4-3, 1-3) punts. Then there was safety Amare Ferrell’s interception and linebacker Isaiah Jones’ fumble recovery, which led to a pair of Nico Radicic field goals.
In all, the Hoosiers had four sacks and 10 tackles for loss, and they held the Wolverines to 224 total yards. Hardy totaled nine tackles and two sacks. Osunsanmi had the other two sacks. Harris had two pass breakups.
“The defense kept us in it,” Cignetti told Fischer. “They kept stopping them and giving us opportunities and finally the offense chipped in a little bit.”
With Hoover limited (he only threw one second-half pass, an interception), IU went offensively conservative with its 6-0 halftime lead.
“I felt like if we didn’t screw it up on offense once we got the 6-0 lead,” Cignetti told Fischer, “that Michigan couldn’t beat us. But we almost screwed it up. You can only give a team so many opportunities before they’re going to get it down there.”
In the second half, IU went to its running game, which managed 131 hard-earned runs in 35 carries against one of the nation’s best run defenses. Turbo Richard had 68 yards on 19 carries. Lee Beebe Jr. had 56 on 12 carries.
“One thing about this group,” Cignetti told Fischer, “is that they’re tested and have been in moments like this before, and they respond.”
Michigan had turned to true freshman Tommy Carr at quarterback over the more heralded Bryce Underwood. The Hoosiers went after him. Could they shut down the Michigan run and force Carr to throw for Wolverine success?
In the first half, that meant one Carr fumble, one Carr interception and zero Michigan points. Carr finished 20-for-32 for 167 yards and that interception.
“We knew with a freshman quarterback,” Landino told Fischer, “they wanted to run the ball. We needed to stop the run and get to the pass, and that’s what we were able to do.”
IU set an instant defensive tone, holding Michigan to two punts, one fumble, and 42 first-quarter total yards.
The Hoosiers needed a couple of possessions to settle in. Two offensive penalties and a dropped pass helped end its first two drives with punts.
Jones recovered a Carr fumble on the Michigan 28-yard line that led to Radicic’s 22-yard field goal and a 3-0 first-quarter lead.
Ferrell’s third interception in three games — off a Harris pass deflection — gave the Hoosiers the ball on the Wolverine 21-yard line. The result – a 34-yard Radicic field goal and a 6-0 second-quarter lead.
Near the end of the first half, Michigan got into scoring range. Hardy’s 14-yard sack of Carr resulted in Michigan’s missed 53-yard field goal. IU’s Paddy McAteer’s 56-yard field goal attempt also missed for the 6-0 halftime score. Five penalties helped limit the Hoosiers to 138 total yards.
In the third quarter, Osunsanmi’s huge 13-yard sack of Carr forced the Wolverines into a 32-yard field goal attempt, which they missed. The 6-0 score remained.
Hoover’s first interception of the season resulted in a 29-yard Michigan field goal and a 6-3 late third-quarter score.
The Hoosiers turned to its running game, but it wasn’t enough. Michigan drove to within yards of a winning touchdown before another Hardy sack forced the Wolverines into a tying 26-yard field goal as time expired to send the game into overtime.
In the first extra possession, Hoover hit Schott with that 21-yard completion to set up his 4-yard TD run and a 13-6 lead. The defense held for the victory.
“It was a great call by (offensive coordinator) Mike Shanahan to run Josh,” Cignetti told Fischer. “I know they weren’t looking for that.”
“There was no pressure,” Landino told Fischer. “We knew we had to do our jobs.”
Next up — Saturday’s home game against Minnesota before the Hoosiers get a much-needed bye after playing for nine-straight weeks.
“The bye week looks good,” Landino told Fischer, “but there’s an opponent in the road. We have to do our jobs again next week. We’ve got to keep it going to be that championship-level squad.”
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