Michigan vs. Indiana: Prediction and preview

Michigan vs. Indiana comes into focus for Week 6, with the Wolverines looking to keep an undefeated season alive. The game in Bloomington is set for 12 p.m. ET on FOX. The network’s Big Noon Kickoff will be in town.

Michigan vs. Indiana preview

The matchup between the Wolverines and the Hoosiers is already being mentioned as a potential “trap game” for Jim Harbaugh’s squad. Coming off a tough road trip to Iowa City, Michigan must turn around and win on the road for back-to-back games away from Ann Arbor.

However, that alone does not set this up as a trap game. Looking at the entire makeup of Tom Allen’s Indiana squad, it is tough to see the Hoosiers being able to keep things close.

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Indiana is 3-2 overall, but the Hoosiers have given up a combined 80 points in back-to-back losses to Cincinnati and Nebraska. Overall, the Hoosiers are giving up 30.4 points per game to start the season, a number that ranks 99th nationally entering Week 6.

Offensively, Indiana has been unable to put up points consistently and help keep some of the pressure off the defense. The Hoosiers are averaging 27.2 points per game, with just 384 yards of offense per game.

Digging deeper into the offensive numbers for Indiana also sheds a bleak light on the performance. The Hoosiers — running a more tempo-based attack — are averaging nearly 81 plays per game, but the offense is far from efficient.

Led by quarterback Connor Bazelak, Indiana is completing just under 53% of passes. The rushing attack has not been much better and is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry.

In reality, those numbers from Indiana paint a pale outlook for the Hoosiers against Michigan in Week 6. Michigan’s defense is giving up just 11.6 points per game and is holding opposing rushers to 2.9 yards per carry. That includes opponents averaging 94.2 rushing yards per game.

Overall, Michigan is giving up just over 250 yards of offense per game and is forcing more than a turnover a game. That is not the kind of weakness an upset-minded Indiana team can exploit.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Wolverines maintain an elite balanced attack with more than 200 yards per game both running and passing. Michigan also runs out a host of talented skill players that put pressure on opposing defenses in a variety of ways.

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Under center, JJ McCarthy is completed 78% of his passes and has yet to throw an interception in 2022. Blake Corum has also exploded into the Heisman chatter with 611 rushing yards, 6.6 yards per carry and 10 rushing touchdowns on the year.

Michigan vs. Indiana Prediction

Sure, there is always a chance Michigan has a lapse of focus on the road in Week 6, but a lapse of focus alone is not enough for Indiana to make up for some major deficiencies in the matchup. It would take some very unique circumstances for the Hoosiers to stay close on Saturday.

Prediction: Michigan 59, Indiana 6