Five Takeaways From Indiana's 39-14 Loss to No. 13 Michigan
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Image: Amanda Pavelka Hoosier Huddle
Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)
The Indiana Hoosiers fell flat after jumping out to a 14-7 lead of the 13th ranked Michigan Wolverines with the final score being 39-14 at Memorial Stadium. A game that had people thinking signature win turned into a Michigan romp. Here are the takeaways from IU’s final home game of the 2019 season.
1. Indiana Picked a Bad Day to Play Their Worst Game of the Season
The Hoosiers could not make mistakes and expect to win against a team as good as the Wolverines. Indiana made a whole bunch though. The Hoosiers started well but could not take full advantage of the early windows Michigan gave them. Michigan was 5-for-12 on third downs, but many of those conversions were back breakers for the IU defense. The Hoosiers just could not get off the field fast enough and when they did, the offense sputtered. The Hoosiers were called for eight penalties accounting for 86 yards, which continuously set up Michigan’s offense or set Indiana’s offense back. On a day when Indiana had to be close to perfect, they were far from good.
2. Shea Patterson and Michigan’s Offense is on Fire
Shea Patterson led Michigan’s big-play pass offense to the tune of five touchdowns and 366 yards. Patterson averaged 18.3 yards per completion and it was the combination of two things. One, Michigan’s wide receivers are living up to their billing and two, Indiana’s defensive backs did not play well. When those two factors collide, days like Saturday happen. Nico Collins was Michigan’s leading receiver with six catches for 165 yards and three touchdowns. In total nine Wolverines caught passes against the Hoosiers.
3. Injuries are Mounting for the Hoosiers
There is no valid excuse that people will buy for this Indiana performance, but the injuries are mounting for the Hoosiers and their depth, or lack there of, is starting to be exposed. The Hoosiers were already without Coy Cronk, Michael Penix and Whop Philyor on offense. During the game the Hoosiers lost Ty Fryfogle for a period of time as well. Running back Stevie Scott left the game twice because of injury and offensive lineman Matthew Bedford, Cronk’s replacement, left on a cart in the third quarter. Peyton Ramsey was also banged up during the game after taking a shot to the ribs that caused a fluttering pass to be intercepted. Ramsey stayed in the game, but the IU offense never looked the same after that hit.
Injuries are part of the game, and up until today the Hoosiers have survived them. However, the injuries are starting to pile up and Tom Allen’s team just does not have the depth yet to be able to go three or four players down the depth chart.
4. This Loss Does Not Discount the Rest of the Season
I can already see it, fans will start discounting this IU season because the Hoosiers have gone 0-4 against the ‘Big Four’ of the Big Ten East (Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State). While it certainly is disappointing to not have that ‘signature’ win yet, the Hoosiers season did not suddenly blow up because of this loss on Saturday afternoon.
5. Still a Long Way to Go for IUFB
Going hand-in-hand with number four, Indiana showed just how far they still need to come after today. The logical next step for this program has to been to win the games that they should win. The Hoosiers have done that and avoided that all-to-familiar ‘huh?’ loss that has haunted the program the last quarter century. I have said it once, I’ll say it again, a program cannot skip steps when building. College football does not work that way. Right now, Indiana is what their record says they are. A 7-4 (4-4) team that has won the games that they were supposed to and will be playing in the post season. The Hoosiers have a big opportunity to cap of the regular season with a win over Purdue to recapture the Old Oaken Bucket. While there is still a long way to go for the program to get where Tom Allen, the players and the fans want it to be, one must also stop and appreciate where they are at this point in time.