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Michigan Football: Wolverines can’t afford to overlook Indiana

By Bob Heyrman

ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 16: Tarik Black #7 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates a touchdown catch during the third quarter of the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Michigan Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Michigan State 40-10. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 16: Tarik Black #7 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates a touchdown catch during the third quarter of the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Michigan Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Michigan State 40-10. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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Michigan football continues to play its best football as the season grows old.  The Wolverines can’t afford to have a letdown after winning big at home this past Saturday against their rivals, the Michigan State Spartans.

It’s always a concern after a big win against a rival.  Sometimes teams tend to have a letdown the following weeks.  The Wolverines beat up the Spartans to the tune of 44-10 Saturday.  It’s imperative that head coach Jim Harbaugh has this Michigan Football team ready to roll against Indiana.

The Wolverines shocked Notre Dame in a downpour handling the land of Rudy with ease in Ann Arbor 45-14.  Many thought the Fighting Irish would pull off an upset on the road, but Jim Harbaugh had his team ready to rock in prime time.  That huge victory came after a heartbreaking loss to Penn State also in prime time the week before in one of those Nittany Lions “white-out” games.

Shea Patterson rebounded after a first half to forget leading the Wolverines back within a score late.  It was the team’s top receiver Ronny Bell dropping a game-tying touchdown pass late on fourth down.  The pass was delivered right into his breadbasket but landed helplessly on the field turf ending the second half Wolverines surge.

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Since then, Michigan football has won three straight games over Maryland, ND, and the Spartans.

It would be effortless for the Wolverines to simply look past Indiana with a date set the following week with their arch-rival Ohio State Buckeyes.  The Buckeyes would be the best team in the country if you asked me, LSU being a close second.

The Wolverines could turn an average season into a hugely successful season by beating the Buckeyes, ending their college football playoff hopes before they could truly begin.  First, Michigan needs to take care of business in Indiana.

The Hoosiers are one of the better offensive teams in the Big Ten believe it or not.  They rank second in yardage per game while they pass for North of 300 yards per game.  Although it’s a game Michigan should win handily, it’s not a gimme. Expect Patterson to produce yet again another massive game offensively and will need to do so for the remainder of the season.  I don’t see Patterson playing at the next level, so why not go out with a boom.

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Looking Ahead: To beat Ohio, the Wolverines will need a performance out of Shea Patterson similar to the one they received against Michigan State that earned him Big Ten offensive player of the week this past week.  Patterson threw for a career-high 384 yards and 4 touchdowns against the Spartans.  The key- he didn’t turn the football over.

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