Indiana Falls to No. 4 Michigan

Saturday, October 8

Bloomington, Ind.

Noon

Indiana University

3-3 , 1-2

Michigan

6-0 , 3-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Michigan

Indiana

10/8/2022 3:47:00 PM | Football

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By: Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - It didn't seem fair, but fairness had no role on a sun-splashed Homecoming Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. Not for a banged-up Indiana team facing a huge challenge:

Beat No. 4 Michigan without four of its top leaders and players.

In the end, the Hoosiers (3-3) fought to the brink of victory, but no further. The Wolverines (6-0) won 31-10 to set up a huge showdown next Saturday against No. 10 Penn State (5-0).

"This hurts," safety Devon Matthews said. "We have to come out with a victory."

Forget moral victory talk. IU head coach Tom Allen had no interest after a third straight loss, a second straight when victory was there for the fourth-quarter taking.

"Our kids fought their tails off," he said. "We had a chance to find a way to win and couldn't finish. That's highly disappointing."

Beating Michigan at full strength was always going to be a major challenge. Doing it without linebacker Cam Jones, cornerback Jaylin Williams, receivers D.J. Matthews Jr. and Javon Swinton, and tight ends AJ Barner and James Bomba made it all but impossible.

And yet, the Hoosiers gave themselves a chance.

They were tied at halftime. They were within seven points deep into the fourth quarter.

"We were right where we wanted to be," quarterback Connor Bazelak said. "If you had told us before the game we'd be down by just seven entering the fourth quarter, everyone would have said, we'd win."

But without productive offense, IU had no chance. It hasn't scored in the second half in its last two games. It only had 29 second-half total yards against Michigan.

"It's got to change," Allen said.

Added Bazelak: "We have to find a way. No matter what's going on or what the circumstances are.

"We have to be better in the fourth quarter, the second half in general."

Receiver Emery Simmons was confident improvement will come.

"We fell short on our execution. We have to be better in the second half, better in the fourth quarter. We've done it in the past.

"We'll handle it next week."

Relentless pressure on Bazelak crippled the offense. Without blitzing, Michigan sacked him seven times, and pressured him often on his 49 pass attempts. He managed 25 completions for 203 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

"It starts up front," Allen said. "We have to protect the quarterback. We're not getting the job done there."

IU has reached the season's midway point and Allen said he'll take a hard look at everything.

"We'll see what we've got to do to have a strong finish.

"We're not playing the kind of football in the second half we have to play. We're not protecting the quarterback. We're not consistent up front.

"Everyone has to be accountable for the way they perform as coaches and players."

In the second half, Michigan took away the short passes and the run. Beating that meant hitting some long passes, but Bazelak never had the time.

"We have some man-beaters," he said, "but we couldn't get the ball off in time."

Bazelak refused to blame the offensive line.

"Those guys are working their butts off. As much as people want to talk down on them, they are giving it their all. Those are my brothers."

Allen said he handles the second-half defensive adjustments. It's up to the offensive coaches to handle the offense.

"The last two weeks our offensive staff hasn't done a good job of making those adjustments," Allen said. "We haven't scored any points.

"It is what it is. Call it want you want. Adjustments have to be made in a way that allows us to be successful. That's something we have to address, and that's on our offensive staff. That's their responsibility. At the end of the day, I'm the head coach, so I have to make sure that happens."

Losing Jones, who Allen said was playing at an All-America level, was a big blow. Allen said Jones was hurt in the Nebraska game and will be out several weeks.

"You hate to lose your best player. He's the leader of the defense. He's playing at a high level. He's a special player. We have to adjust and figure it out."

Linebacker Aaron Casey switched to Jones' position and backup Bradley Jennings Jr. moved into the starting line. Bradley finished with 13 tackles. Casey had seven.

"Bradley stepped up," Allen said. "This is a great chance for him to grow and learn."

In the first quarter, Michigan running backs coach Mike Hart collapsed near midfield. He was carted off the field and taken to a hospital. Both teams took a knee while medical personnel attended him. Hart, who previously was IU's running backs coach, was alert as he left the field.

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said Hart had a "medical emergency" and was in stable condition.

"He'll stay overnight in Bloomington to continue observation. Mike's a strong guy. Prayers go his way. It puts things in perspective."

Added Allen: "Prayers for Mike and his family. I'm very close with Mike. It sounds like he's going to be okay, but a concern when he went down. Prayers for his family Our thoughts are for them. We're praying for a full recovery."

The game turned early in the third quarter when Michigan converted a third-and-eight at its own 4-yard line. That 14-yard completion to Ronnie Bell led to a 98-yard touchdown drive that snapped a 10-10 tie and delivered a lead the Wolverines never lost.

"We had a couple of communication errors," Allen said. "We have to make it off the field."

Michigan opened the game going against tape by throwing on its first three plays to reach midfield, then unleased tailback Blake Corum, who had runs of 51 and one yard for a touchdown and a 7-0 Wolverine lead less than three minute into the game.

IU responded by forcing a Michigan punt, then driving 76 yards on 10 plays for the tying touchdown. Bazelak hit Cam Camper with a 33-yard completion and then Josh Henderson for the 11-yard TD throw.

The Wolverines regained the lead at 10-7 on a 44-yard field goal near the end of the first quarter.

An apparent Bazelak-to-Aaron Steinfeldt TD pass was wiped out by an offensive pass interference call. Charles Campbell then hit a 41-yard field goal to tie the score at 10-10 three minutes into the second quarter.

The tie remained when defensive end James Head Jr. blocked a Michigan field goal attempt, and then when the Wolverines blocked a Campbell field goal attempt. Halftime arrived with that 10-10 score.

Michigan drove 98 yards for a touchdown and a 17-10 lead midway through the third quarter. It added a pair of TD passes in the fourth quarter.

IU will host Maryland (4-2, 1-2 Big Ten) next Saturday.

"We've got a lot of great opportunities on our schedule," Allen said. "You're going to have your ups and downs. You have to find a way to fight through them. This team has learned how to do that, but at the same time, we have to finish."