Indiana University
Michigan
IU Remains Confident Heading Into Michigan Matchup
11/10/2015 3:43:00 PM | Football
By: Sam Beishuizen | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Moral victories don't matter much to head coach Kevin Wilson. His players don't like them either.
Indiana played three top 10 teams in the last six weeks and went into the fourth quarter with a chance to win all three only to see each game slip away. The Hoosiers (4-5, 0-5) have remained confident heading into Saturday's 3:30 p.m.. Senior Day matchup against No. 15 Michigan (7-2, 4-1) at Memorial Stadium.
"When we play, we can play with anybody," junior running back Jordan Howard said. "We're going for seven wins now. We're trying to win the last three games."
Being competitive isn't enough for Indiana anymore. A competitive loss is ultimately the same as a blowout loss in the record books. Neither gets Indiana closer to its ultimate goal of a winning season.
IU's coaches insist the talent is there. If it wasn't, the Hoosiers would never be in a position to win in the first place.
Offensive coordinator Kevin Johns said Monday that Indiana needs to figure out a way to win in close contests immediately, beginning with Michigan.
"We need to do it this week and it's critical," Johns said. "Our guys are working hard out there but you've heard that. Our guys are playing at a high level and I know that you've heard that, too. We're just not doing it consistently throughout the game. That's what it's coming down to."
Michigan is yet another top 15 opponent in Indiana's world. The Hoosiers have already kept up with No. 1 Ohio State, No. 7 Michigan State and No. 10 Iowa just last week before losing all three previous top 15 games.
This year marks the first time since 1979 that the Hoosiers have played four top 15 teams in a single season. The fourth will come to Bloomington Saturday, making it the first time since 1960 that Indiana has played four top 15 opponents in the regular season.
"This is a game against another great opponent that if we play well we'll have a chance for a strong outcome," Wilson said. "But Michigan is playing very, very good football."
Michigan finds itself in the heart of a conference championship race. The Wolverines need to win out—including a game against No. 2 Ohio State—and hope Michigan State loses to either Maryland, unbeaten Ohio State or Penn State to win the Big Ten East Division and play in the Big Ten title game Dec. 5 in Indianapolis.
"I'm sure they're aware of that," Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said. "If not, we'll make them aware of it."
For Indiana to pull off an upset, the Hoosiers will have to navigate around a Michigan defense ranking No. 1 in the country in scoring defense. The Wolverines only allow 11.9 points per game and have three shutouts to their credit.
At the heart of Michigan's defense has been a stout front seven that's allowing opponents to rush for only 80.8 rushing yards per game, ranking second in the country. Meanwhile, its secondary is among the most experienced groups on the field and has been keeping opposing quarterbacks from finding their rhythm.
"They're extremely good at what they do," senior quarterback Nate Sudfeld said. "They're going to contest every throw. There's going to be a lot of competitive plays, a lot of man defense. They've got great athletes, great coaches. They know what they're doing. We're just going to have to come to play."
But to make the winning plays, Indiana will first need to realize how to make the jump from competitive to winning team. Redshirt junior guard Dan Feeney estimated Indiana was maybe 80 or 90 percent of the way toward making the jump, but learning how to finish will be key the remainder of the season.
With only three games left, including this weekend's final home game, the Hoosiers are running out of time to make that jump. There was a time earlier this season when Indiana started 4-0 that redshirt sophomore linebacker Marcus Oliver said IU had the killer instinct it has lacked because of the belief that every game was winnable.
He wants that feeling back.
"Our first four games, we didn't expect to lose," Oliver said. "I think that's something we are trying to get back to."
