3 Bold Predictions For Indiana Football vs. Michigan: Josh Hoover Will Have a Day

Indiana (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten), for the first time in a long time, is looking to get back on track. It’ll have an opportunity to do just that at Michigan (4-2, 1-2 Big Ten) after falling last week to Ohio State at home. Can the Hoosiers do it? That would be a hard yes if two of these bold predictions come true and one doesn’t. 

3 bold predictions for Indiana at Michigan

Michigan doesn’t score a touchdown

The Wolverines, despite their abysmal offense through the first half of the season, have scored at least two touchdowns in every Big Ten game thus far. Expect that streak to be snapped by Indiana. 

The Hoosiers are simply a different test than anything Michigan has seen. True freshman Tommy Carr is poised to get his first career start on Saturday. And while it may be the best decision for the Wolverines, it couldn’t come against a tougher opponent. 

Indiana is going to speed Carr up, force Michigan to rely on its ground attack and then bottle that up (currently surrendering a Big Ten-best 2.3 yards per carry and just 75.4 total yards per game). The Wolverines might be able to trek into Hoosiers territory on occasion, but never into the end zone. 

The Hoosiers don’t crack 100 yards on the ground

A few signs point in the right direction for Indiana’s run game on Saturday (at least from a total-yardage perspective). First of all, the Hoosiers run the ball a lot – and they’ve been very good at it in the Curt Cignetti era. 

In Indiana’s first two Big Ten outings, it registered 271 yards and 329 yards on the ground, respectively. Also, against Michigan, the expectation is that the Hoosiers should be leading most of the game. And there is no better way to nurse a lead than run the football. 

On the flip side, though, Indiana has managed a combined 138 rushing yards on 51 carries over the past two games. The offensive line has failed to get any push and the running backs haven’t been able to find any holes. Chunk plays, explosive plays – the Hoosiers can’t get anything positive (didn’t even have a single rush over 10 yards against Ohio State). 

The other bad news: Michigan’s rushing defense is elite. It allows just 2.7 yards per carry and 89.7 yards per game. This, unfortunately for Indiana, is a stoppable-force-meets-immovable-object scenario. 

Josh Hoover throws for three touchdowns

Save for the Rutgers win – which, should that even count as Big Ten play? – quarterback Josh Hoover hasn’t thrown for three touchdowns in a league game. That may be set to change on Saturday, though. 

Michigan’s defense is flat-out dominant. But its lone vulnerability is defending the pass. Iowa’s Hank Brown threw for 227 yards and two scores. Penn State’s Rocco Becht slung it for 267 yards and a touchdown through the air. 

And, all due respect to both of those gunslingers, but neither is at the same level as Hoover, nor do they have the unreal weapons Hoover has on the outside. 

Expect Hoover and his stud wide receiver duo of Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh to feast against Michigan, especially considering the ongoing rushing struggles for the Hoosiers’ offense.