ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Josh Hoover is banged up and was almost benched because of his injuries.
Curt Cignetti, though, chose to stick with Hoover instead of turning to his seventh-year backup, and the fifth-year quarterback delivered.
Hoover had a 4-yard touchdown run in overtime and No. 6 Indiana kept Michigan out of the end zone in a 13-6 win on Saturday.
“There were a lot of discussions about Grant Wilson and Josh Hoover in the second half because Grant had a good week of practice and is really capable,” Cignetti said. “At the end of the day, it’s been Josh’s season and even though he’s not 100%, we’ve got to finish it out with him and he responded.”
Hoover helped the Hoosiers (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) win at the Big House for the first time since 1967.
“It’s cool to be a part of,” Hoover said.
The Wolverines (4-3, 1-3) started quarterback Tommy Carr and sat Bryce Underwood, but the freshman didn’t fare as well as he did last week coming off the bench in a win over Penn State.
Carr lost a fumble on an ill-advised pitch in the first quarter and was picked off in the second half on a deflected pass that was thrown into traffic.
“Both turnovers, completely on me,” he said.
Carr took sacks in the second and third quarters that led to missed field goals, including a 32-yard kick after advancing to the Indiana 1.
The Wolverines reached the Hoosiers 3 in the final minute of regulation — with a chance to potentially win the game — when Carr was sacked for a fourth time and they had to settle for a 26-yard field goal as time expired.
Hoover struggled, too, until making a 21-yard pass to Brock Schott on the first snap of overtime that set up his touchdown run.
With a chance to send the game to a second overtime, Michigan advanced to the Indiana 13 and Carr threw an incomplete pass that hit the turf in front of Salesi Moa just outside of the end zone.
“If that’s the No. 6 team in the country, then we’re pretty good,” coach Kyle Whittingham said.
Carr was 20 of 32 for 167 yards with an interception and a fumble. He is the grandson of College Football Hall of Famers Lloyd Carr and Tom Curtis and the brother of Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr, who attended the game while his team had the weekend off.
“It would be absurd to judge him off this one performance,” Whittingham said.
Indiana’s injured QB
Hoover was 8 of 18 for 81 yards and threw an interception in the third quarter, setting up Michigan for a field goal, and isn’t completely healthy.
“I had to battle through some things this week to get out here,” Hoover said. “I knew I was going to find a way to get out here and find a way to win this game for this team regardless of how I felt. There’s guys on this team that are banged up every week. It’s no different for me.”
Michigan’s close calls
The Wolverines have only had one game this year that wasn’t decided in the final minutes.
“It comes down to the last play, the last possession in every game except UTEP,” Whittingham said. “We’re the only team in the country that has done that.”
The takeaway
Indiana: A week after being inches away from beating then-No. 4 Ohio State, the Hoosiers avoided losing two straight for the first time in three years with Cignetti.
Michigan: With Carr or Underwood at quarterback, the offense is struggling on the ground and through the air.
“You name it and we’ve got to work on it,” Whittingham said.
Up next
Indiana: Hosts Minnesota next Saturday.
Michigan: Plays at Rutgers next Saturday.