Not many people are giving Michigan football much of a chance to beat Indiana on Saturday, especially with the Hoosiers coming off a loss. But given that the Wolverines came alive offensively in the second half, when they moved off Bryce Underwood in favor of Tommy Carr, anything can happen.
And with renewed hope on that side of the ball, there's a chance, albeit a slight one.
The Hoosiers lost to Ohio State in a game they probably should have won, and Michigan had to hang on for dear life against a moribund Penn State team. But CBS Sports' Brad Crawford has seen enough to at least say, hey, the Wolverines have enough of a chance that IU is officially on notice, as he put Indiana on upset alert.
At what point will Michigan's offense put together a full game? Is that even possible for the Wolverines? Saturday's chore comes in the form of Indiana, an elite team with a defense aiming to deny Michigan any semblance of confidence on that side of the field. Tommy Carr is the better option at quarterback, and there's limited film on him for Bryant Haines and the Hoosiers' defensive staff.
This was included in this week's upset alert because the betting line screams competitive game. And twice this season, Indiana has failed to push away from league competition on the road despite winning (Northwestern and Nebraska). It's a must-win for Indiana if the Hoosiers intend on getting a top-four seed in the CFP.
All of the pressure is on Indiana in this game after having lost its first game of the season. It shouldn't be overlooked that this is a home game for the Wolverines and a road game for the Hoosiers, either. And if Tommy Carr can execute the offense in a way that Bryce Underwood couldn't, then it could certainly upend expectations of what is possible for the maize and blue.
This isn't just a must-win for Indiana, it's one for the Wolverines as well, given that a loss would eliminate Michigan from the Big Ten and CFP, but a win would keep it alive.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: CBS Sports puts Indiana on upset alert against Michigan football