Indiana*: The Second Scariest CFB Team With a Losing Record

Submitted by Caesar on

You'll look at Indiana and dismiss them a bit. They couldn't win in conference play, including a loss to a Rutgers team that Michigan beat in the first quarter. Wins against titans like Wake, Western Kentucky, and Southern Illinois aren't too inspiring.

Alas. 40% of those losses come to undefeated teams that Indy played very close. I watched the loss to Michigan State, and though it appears lopsided, and it was in upset territory until the last 5 minutes or so. With games against Maryland and Purdue, Michigan could very well be playing a bowl-eligeable team this week.

There is a can full of expletives, none of them joyful, and I fear it will be opened on Michigan. With Penn State and The Game just after, I find myself concerned. 

WHAT SAY YOU?

* Thanks to several folks for the correction!

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Caesar

November 9th, 2015 at 9:53 AM ^

Please check my post history. Definitely not a troll. Also, I don't mean to imply anything about how good a team Michigan is or how good the coaching is. Just saying that it's easy to write off Indiana, but that they're actually not as bad as their record may indicate. 

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Wood_Chuckson

November 9th, 2015 at 7:06 AM ^

You make a compelling argument. Now let's look at the team Indy is hosting:

A team who was predicted in the preseason to be a .500 team or 7-5 at best by most analysts. Now in the top 15.

A team who has, up to this point, turned out to be a 2 loss team where one of those losses came against a Utah team who's obvioulsy amongst the best in the country. The other loss against a charged up rival who they held the upperhand over for 59 minutes and 50 seconds of football. Both losses could have easily been wins and one of those losses SHOULD have been.

Indy is hosting a team who has blanked 3 teams in a row this season.

A team who stood tall and won on the road at night vs an emotionally charged rival.

Indy has a pretty good to really good offense and the worst defense in the conference. They're facing a team who has a cohesive (at worst) to pretty good (at best) offense with arguably the best defense in the country.

 

There's no reason for me to feel like MICHIGAN can't get it done in Indiana!! GO BLUE!!!

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Indiana Blue

November 9th, 2015 at 8:29 AM ^

Indy has a pretty good to really good offense and the worst defense in the conference
Are we playing the Colts ? There are a few posters that I'm certain could not name all the B1G teams, much less their nickname of abbreviated form. It's Indiana University, or IU ... not Indy. Sheesh ! Go Blue!

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Indiana Blue

November 9th, 2015 at 4:07 PM ^

IU started 4-0, and has now lost 5 straight games.  I am not concerned about their "emotion", although it is Senior Day (AKA  -  last home game of the year for some readers /s).  They need 2 more wins to make a bowl game and they play @ Maryland, then @ Purdue. These last 2 games are winnable just based on the level of competition.  Michigan is their least likely chance for a win of their last 3 games.

If Michigan takes the crowd out of the game in the first half, which occurs if we show IU that they are physically outmatched, then I believe it will be a great day for the Wolverines.  If we let down (see Minnesota game - up 14-3 then WTF) then the crowd will be a big help to keep a fire lit within the team.  IU is simply not use to winning, so the faster we show control, the easier this game will be.

Go Blue!

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EGD

November 9th, 2015 at 7:16 AM ^

I watched their game against MSU and most of their game against Ohio State. They are not a good team. Indiana cannot consistently stop the run, and while they have a couple decent skill players on offense they are not strong in the trenches. IU also seems to choke in critical moments. M should dominate this game, something like 38-10 seems about right to me.

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EGD

November 9th, 2015 at 10:25 AM ^

I don't think M will have trouble running the ball on IU. It's just not a stout run defense. I think State threw the ball more by choice--and why wouldn't they, with Cook & Burbridge?--not because IU rendered them one-dimensional. OSU shredded them on the ground, FWIW.

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alum96

November 9th, 2015 at 7:22 AM ^

Everything you say is fine but lets not talk about bowl eligible as a reason to fear teams.  Up to last year tons of awful 6-6 teams were bowl elligible and with the expansion they are now saying multiple 5-7 teams will make bowls - incl Indiana if that is their record.  Put another way if this year was last year Brady Hoke's UM would be bowl eligible.

It didn't mean squat last year and it means even less this year and go forward.

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RainbowSprings

November 9th, 2015 at 7:33 AM ^

OTOH, Indiana has a statistically worse defense than Rutgers. If Rudock doesn't turn the ball over, and we have just an "average day in the office" on D, we should be fine.

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FauxMo

November 9th, 2015 at 7:34 AM ^

Gotta be EMU. With just 1 win on the year, those kids just don't give a damn anymore. They bring knives and bats and brass knuckles onto the field. Like the honey badger, they just don't give a fuck...

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SpikeFan2016

November 9th, 2015 at 12:10 PM ^

I guess I missed the worst year (2008), but 2014 was absolutely worse than 2009/2010 and not by a small margin in my opinion. Records were the same, but in 2014 we were much farther removed from good times so patience was much lower, Althetic Director was much worse, our rivals were all way better than they were in 2009 and it was the first year we didnt have a rivalry game at home and struggled to fill the Big House. Apathy was massive and the student section was the smallest it has ever been. Plus the joiners in 2012 missed the one good year we had in 2011 that the RR joiners got to witness. 

So yeah, probably worse to join the fanbase in 2007-2009, but by a smaller margin than I think you would say (Yes, I know that RR joiners still had to witness the Hoke years, but I'm talking from a perspective of how it was in one's time as a student specifically). 

(God that was depressing recounting all of that). 

 

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Clarence Beeks

November 9th, 2015 at 7:47 AM ^

Having watched their OSU and MSU games, I'd chalk both being close up to poor performances by OSU and MSU. Indiana's offense is good, but more than any one other thing what Indiana did to MSU's defense should have been a tip off for exactly why Nebraska could win the game this past Saturday.

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Olaf

November 9th, 2015 at 7:47 AM ^

I'll just be happy with a win. Only time I've watched Indiana this year was very little of the MSU game. Their QB impressed me with the way he directed the offense.



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Eastside Maize

November 9th, 2015 at 7:58 AM ^

It's gonna be a tough B1G road game. IU can sling it around the field but the running game took a big hit when Tevin Coleman went to the league. I foresee us making them one dimensionsal and the D line will have their ears pinned back.

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AmayzNblue

November 9th, 2015 at 8:03 AM ^

Iowa was probably the best defense IU has seen, but Iowa does not have the athletic ability of our secondary.

If UM plays flat, it will be a close game. If UM plays smart and stays aggressive rather than playing "not to lose," then it won't be close.



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Perkis-Size Me

November 9th, 2015 at 8:08 AM ^

It's going to be a tough game for sure. IU is once again fighting for its post-season life, and despite the fact that it's defense is like paper mâché, they can definitely sling the ball around on offense. The defense is going to have a tough test, and it's a road game, so the whole team needs to bring its A-game.

IU has come close several times this year to knocking off very good teams. They're not going to just roll over when Michigan comes to town.



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Brandon_L

November 9th, 2015 at 8:28 AM ^

Is not the passing game it's RB Jordan Howard. If he is healthy or even 75% it keeps Michigan honest against the run. Devine Redding is a good back as well, but the one guy that gave Ohio State problems was Howard and until his ankle issues the Buckeyes had no answer. I think we are playing an inspired Hoosier team that will score points and play hard, but I believe Michigan and Harbaugh are at the pinnacle of their focus. I think Michigan forces a few turnovers and wins by 21.

As for people who are are concerned with Penn State, I really don't think they will score a point against Michigan. Penn State is not a good team. Hackenberg has not played well and their Oline has improved, but Michigan will exploit them. Barkley is my only concern, but I think Michigan will load up against the run and actually force Hack to throw. Penn State will stop our run game, but I think Michigan will score 20 points and that will be enough to win.

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LSAClassOf2000

November 9th, 2015 at 8:44 AM ^

The average margin of loss for Indiana in their five losses is -13.2 points, or essentially 2 TDs, which to me doesn't indicate that there is a huge threat looming in Bloomington for Michigan. Particularly in their game against, OSU, I think a lot of what happened was attributable to an uninspired performance by the Buckeyes, and then they were essentially shut down by Penn State defense the very next week. The Hoosiers are just not good - they give up an average of 6.1 yards per play and almost 500 yards per game, and on some metrics, they have offensive stats that are closer to Michigan's than a lot of other teams, as strange as that might sound.

In other words, I think we're in good shape here.

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jmblue

November 9th, 2015 at 8:59 AM ^

But that margin is misleading.  Indiana has, on paper, two blowout losses: 29-7 to PSU and 52-26 to MSU.  But keep in mind, Sudfeld didn't play against PSU and the MSU game was actually close for 3.5 quarters (it was 31-26 midway through the fourth).  IU with Sudfeld has been competitive each week.  I think we'll win but it could be stressful.  

 

 

 

 

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StephenRKass

November 9th, 2015 at 9:06 AM ^

Nor is Indiana Indy. They are Indiana, or IU.

I have nothing else substantive to add that hasn't been said already. I don't think IU is that dangerous. I do not believe that Harbaugh will let up the gas. And I believe the team is hungry.

My greatest concern at this point is injuries, and especially injury on the DL. I do not recall Ryan Glasgow coming back in the second half last Saturday vs. Rutgers. We already have lost Mone and Ojemudia. iirc, Hurst had a boo boo. I don't know what is up with Lawrence Marshall. (is he on depth chart?) Of course, injuries can happen to anyone at any time, but we are going to need them to stay healthy against Indiana, so as to be ready for PSU and Ohio State.

I also want to continue to see Rudock stretch the field with the passing game. Brian doesn't track distance downfield of passes. But I think the pass to Houma, a couple to Butt (plus the "intent to deceive" pass,) one or two to Chesson, and maybe one or two more, were longer passes in the air. This has to improve, or safeties will continue to cheat close, and there will be no running game whatsoever.

So, I am really hoping that Michigan uses the Indiana game to prepare well for the last two games. Focus on Indiana, (one game at a time), but use this focus to prepare for PSU and especially for the Game.

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