Michigan train keeps rolling with dominant win over Indiana

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Michael Cohen

College Football and College Basketball Writer

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — There were more than a few sideways glances directed at what was unfolding at Michigan Stadium on Saturday when unranked, undermanned and unimpressive Indiana held the lead over Michigan at the end of the first quarter. The Hoosiers, who have yet to beat a Power 5 opponent this season, turned a double-pass trick play into a 44-yard touchdown that gave them an early, unexpected advantage.

But on a gray and rainy day that screamed Big Ten football, the two teams quickly reverted to their respective norms. For Indiana, which introduced a new offensive coordinator on Saturday, that meant limping and lurching toward the finish line. For Michigan, which has yet to face a quality opponent, that meant roaring to life with unwavering precision on both sides of the ball.

By the time it ended — after the Wolverines scored touchdowns on five consecutive drives to blow the game open — head coach Jim Harbaugh’s team had enjoyed yet another rout: 52-7.

Here are some quick takeaways from Ann Arbor:

Player of the game

Another week, another supremely efficient performance from quarterback J.J. McCarthy, whose services were once again not required in the fourth quarter of a lopsided affair. He completed 14 of 17 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns against the Hoosiers while chipping in an additional 27 yards on the ground.

Though McCarthy misfired on his first two passes as the Wolverines went three-and-out to begin the game, he quickly kicked into gear with a string of eight consecutive completions that gained 128 yards in fewer than 15 minutes of game time. He finished by connecting on his final six passes and never threw an incompletion in the second half.

His repertoire included a laser strike to tight end Colston Loveland between defenders and a successful free play to wideout Cornelius Johnson when the Hoosiers jumped offsides. He made a backhanded flip to tailback Donovan Edwards with a defender in pursuit and flipped a 54-yard touchdown to Loveland after breaking out of the pocket.

McCarthy exited the game with a limp toward the latter stages of the third quarter, though it’s unclear if it was the injury or the score that prompted his departure. A pair of fumbles were the only black marks on an otherwise exemplary report card.

Play of the game

Michigan’s opening drive of the second half appeared to be heading in the wrong direction when wide receiver Tyler Morris was whistled for a comical false start in which he took off downfield. Morris’ mistake — a rarity for college football‘s least-penalized team — saddled the Wolverines with third-and-10 from their own 46-yard line.

None of that mattered, though, when McCarthy escaped the pocket for one of the lethal scramble-drill plays that continue to confound opponents. As McCarthy took off to his right, the defender covering Loveland turned the tight end loose in favor of cutting off the quarterback’s angle with the Hoosiers in man coverage. Poor Phillip Dunnam was caught between a rock and a hard place.

Dunnam’s decision proved catastrophic when, in a tremendous display of poise, McCarthy pointed Loveland toward the empty space that had just been vacated. Loveland simply turned upfield, adjusted his body to McCarthy’s throw and hauled in a 54-yard touchdown that officially put the game out of reach.

Allowing the dual-threat McCarthy beyond the pocket is an increasingly dangerous game, and the Hoosiers were badly burned.

J.J. McCarthy links up with Colston Loveland for a 54-yard TD

Turning point of the game

Trailing 14-7 following a 2-yard touchdown pass from McCarthy to wide receiver Roman Wilson with 3:24 remaining in the second quarter, the Hoosiers needed an answer to remain within striking distance of a team with significantly more talent.

Quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who replaced starter Tayven Jackson after the first few drives, completed a deep pass to wide receiver Donaven McCulley for 37 yards that flipped the field and strengthened the possibility of a last-minute score to push the Wolverines. But offensive lineman Zach Carpenter was flagged for an illegal hands to the face penalty that wiped away the catch, shoved the Hoosiers back toward their own goal line and effectively ended the drive.

Michigan wide receiver Tyler Morris evaded two would-be tacklers on the ensuing punt to explode for a 27-yard return that gave the Wolverines the ball in plus territory. McCarthy guided the offense into the red by drawing a late-hit penalty and later connecting with Wilson on a short flea flicker. The Wolverines punctuated the drive by feeding tailback Blake Corum on the goal-line for a 1-yard score that seemed to put the game out of reach.

Corum’s second rushing touchdown of the half extended Michigan’s advantage to 21-7 with 11 seconds remaining and nudged the memories of a sluggish start into the abyss.

Blake Corum punches in his second TD of the half

Key stat

Prior to Michigan pulling its offensive starters late in the third quarter, the Wolverines overcame a sloppy start to puncture Indiana with the kind of ruthless efficiency they’ve displayed all season. They averaged 6.8 yards per play overall and 15.9 yards per completion before salting the game away.

The most impressive statistic came in the red zone, where offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore’s unit transformed its first four trips into touchdowns and scored points on five consecutive attempts to dispose of the Hoosiers.

Saturday’s showing extended an increasingly positive trend for Michigan after the offense worked through red zone struggles each of the last two seasons, especially when it came to passing. This year’s team entered the game ranked 15th nationally and second in the Big Ten behind Penn State in red zone touchdown rate at 77.8%, which is up from 66.2% in 2022 and 61.2% in 2021. It’s an area where McCarthy’s running ability has become particularly potent.

Against Indiana, the Wolverines found the end zone on a pair of 1-yard runs from Corum and touchdown passes of 2 yards and 7 yards to Wilson and freshman receiver Semaj Morgan, respectively.

Semaj Morgan pushes it in for a tough, 7-yard score

What’s next for Michigan?

After dismissing the Hoosiers for a seventh consecutive blowout to begin the season, Michigan can begin preparing for its annual rivalry game against Michigan State, with this year’s edition scheduled for a primetime kickoff in East Lansing next Saturday. It’s the first time the Wolverines and Spartans will meet since an unsightly brawl in the Michigan Stadium tunnel marred the 2022 matchup. Michigan defensive backs Gemon Green and Ja’Den McBurrows were attacked by a swarm of Michigan State players, one of whom used his helmet as a weapon. Seven Michigan State players faced criminal charges as a result of the incident, and the Wolverines revised their halftime and postgame procedures to ensure only one team enters the tunnel at a time.

What’s next for Indiana?

Saturday’s loss to Michigan means the Hoosiers have reached the midway point of their schedule without a victory against a Power 5 opponent. Head coach Tom Allen’s team toppled Indiana State in Week 2 before needing four overtimes to upend Akron in Week 4. The rest of their games against schools from power conferences have ended in defeats, including blowout losses to Ohio State (23-3), Maryland (44-17) and Michigan. Indiana returns home to host Rutgers next Saturday in what might be its best chance at scoring a conference win this season. The remaining schedule includes games against Penn State (away), Wisconsin (home), Illinois (away), Michigan State (home) and Purdue (away).

Michael Cohen covers college football and basketball for FOX Sports with an emphasis on the Big Ten. Follow him on Twitter at @Michael_Cohen13.