It entered Saturday leading the Big Ten in two statistical categories per game: points (46.6) and total yardage (476.2). In the third quarter alone, it finished with zero points and seven total yards.
No. 8 Indiana football was teetering on the precipice of its first loss of the season. Until it got a “shot in the arm” in the form of Ke’Shawn Williams.
Indiana had just forced Michigan to punt with roughly five and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Wolverines booted the ball to Williams, who was running full speed ahead as he received the punt at the Indiana 39-yard line. The fifth-year senior wide receiver broke five tackles, gaining 22 yards and eventually going down at the Michigan 39-yard line.
“That was a hard punt really to judge and catch because the nose was spiraling down and to the left,” Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said postgame. “It was dying. To catch that punt, and he made it happen, was a tremendous effort, and really was very uplifting for everybody in the stadium.”
The Hoosier faithful were nervous. Their team had not scored up to that point in the second half before Williams’ return set up the Hoosiers with advantageous field possession, eventually resulting in redshirt freshman kicker Nicolas Radicic drilling a 41-yard field goal.
With the sold-out crowd behind it, Indiana held on to beat Michigan 20-15 inside Memorial Stadium on Saturday to improve to 10-0 for the first time in the program’s history.
Cignetti was glad his squad won. But he did not like the way his team played, especially on offense in the second half.
After going into the halftime locker room with a 17-3 advantage, the Hoosiers began their second half opening drive with an ugly interception. Sixth-year senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke attempted to hit junior receiver Elijah Sarratt, but Michigan junior defensive back Zeke Elliott jumped the route and intercepted the pass.
It was just the beginning of an abysmal third quarter for Indiana’s offense.
The Hoosiers ran just seven plays over the 15 minutes. Seventh-year senior running back Ty Son Lawton rushed for 14 yards before Rourke was sacked for a loss of seven, resulting in seven total yards, zero points and the Wolverines pulling to within one possession.
But Indiana’s defense did not flinch.
It held Michigan to just 46 total yards in the fourth quarter, pressuring Wolverines senior quarterback Davis Warren out of the pocket despite not being sacked.
“It starts with the D-line first,” junior linebacker Aiden Fisher said. “We have a lot of guys up there that do a good job disrupting the pass game which also helped in the run game.”
Indiana limited Michigan senior running back Donovan Edwards to just 46 yards on 15 carries, an average of 3.1 yards per rush. The Wolverines totaled just 86 yards on the ground.
The Hoosiers, however, racked up just 76 rushing yards. And in the second half, with the game on the line, they gained 18 total yards –– nine yards less than Michigan State gained against Indiana on Nov. 2.
“But championship teams find a way to win football games, and not all the time do you get style points,” Cignetti said. “This is probably the first one we haven't gotten style points.”
Indiana now sits at 10-0 for the first time in program history. It was ranked No. 8 by the College Football Playoff’s selection committee Tuesday, leading notable college football names such as Fox’s Joel Klatt and ESPN’s Booger McFarland to describe Indiana as the most disrespected and underrated team in the country.
But wins like the Hoosiers’ on Saturday show they can win in close games. Now, they have their second bye week of the season ahead of their matchup with No. 2 Ohio State on Nov. 23.
And with the national narrative surrounding Indiana as being a team that has not played any good teams, the Hoosiers are only focused on going 1-0. Their preparation gives them the confidence to go out onto the gridiron and take down their opponent, no matter who it is or how they do it.
“We’re really going to use that to our advantage, really dig deep into their schemes and what we can do to exploit them and those different things,” redshirt senior defensive lineman CJ West said. “We’re also gonna use this bye week to help our bodies recover and get better and prepare for Ohio State week.”
In 2022, when the Hoosiers last traveled to Ohio Stadium, they fell by 42 points. Now, with Indiana football already with 10 wins in a season for the first time ever, the game means more than just another game.
Indiana’s College Football Playoff hopes rest upon its matchup with Ohio State. It’s also arguably the most important game in program history. Going into “The Shoe,” the Hoosiers are in the situation the Buckeyes are typically in –– undefeated.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and columnist Jhett Garrett (@jhettgarrett) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
