Team 136 - Game 10 - Michigan vs Indiana

Bloomington Bound

The Michigan Wolverines returned home from a scary Halloween trip to Minnesota and welcomed the Rutgers Scarlett Knights to the Big House with open arms ... puff pastry tastes good after a tough work-out, and let’s just say that Minnesota required Big Blue to exert more physical effort than was anticipated. 

And the Scarlett Knights didn’t disappoint … Coach Harbaugh and company controlled this contest from the beginning and come out a 49-16 winner.  Michigan moves to 7-2 (4-1 Big Ten) and #14 on the charts, and Ann Arbor hosted yet another fine football frenzy for 2015 Parents’ Weekend, with the Head Coach once again leading the animated charge.

Big Blue packs its bag this week and heads to the cow pastures of Indiana to face the Hoosiers – the start of an all-important two-game road journey before closing out the campaign at home against that low-class Meyer guy and his thug crew.  

Let’s dissect the Rutgers win and then look ahead to Bloomington ... perhaps making a few stops on the way.

Michigan vs. Rutgers – The Recap

Nearly 110,000 people descended upon the Big House to watch this early-November match-up, including Casa Carson in its entirety.  That’s right, the family bus was packed and we exited at State Street for a three-day campus adventure. 

Let’s just start with the fact that campus adventures are different with three kids under the age of 12 than with a handful of guys and zero responsibility.  So the late-night Rick’s sessions followed by Mr. Spot’s and a game of zonk didn’t happen this time … nope, instead we got family time with the women’s gymnastics team and father-son bonding on the courts with a couple guys from the tennis team … we got a tour of the National History Museum and some quality time walking State Street and South U., … we got family dinner with Professor Rubadeau at Zingerman’s Roadhouse (by the way, among the best of Ann Arbor’s new eateries since the time I left town – those sweet-potato fries … serious) … we got family time in at Amer’s State Street, where it all happened for this wonder-duo … we got an early Zingerman’s dinner -- post-game and pre-crowd – because the latke is ridonkulous any time of day) … we got quality time at the Big House and we got a Michigan football victory, which is really what counts (ok, that and the Zingerman’s).  And best of all, we got pure family togetherness in one of the best places on Earth … talking about the life that was for us, the life that is for so many today, and the life that will be for those time spent in Ann Arbor has not yet come … the power of Michigan, -- on the field and in the classroom, in the Diag and in the research lab, at the Union and at Zingerman’s.  Buildings get renovated and some new commercial establishments move in … but the bones are what they are … and they inspire, engage and activate upon arrival … at least for this member of Blue Nation.  Some of the best old memories came from A Squared twenty-five years ago … and some of the best new memories come from family weekends like these. 

Sorry, I digress … football and Rutgers, right.  Michigan was sloppy, at times, on defense and gave up bigger numbers than it should have, but in the end Big Blue dominated offensively and outpaced the Scarlett Knights in a big way.  Let’s break it down.

The Michigan O

The Big Blue offensive machine posted a trifecta of season highs – (1) points (49); (2) total yards (487); and (3) passing yards (337) – in an unleashing of gridiron firepower.  QB Jake Rudock threw for 2 TDs and a career-high 337 yards in his 18-25 outing.  He stood tall in the pocket, delivered sharp balls and took his fair share of hits, including sacrificing his body for the team on two different scoring occasions.  This was Rudock’s best game of the season … granted, it came against the league’s second-worst defense, but he did his job and led his team to victory.

After missing an opening-drive field goal, Michigan scored TDs on the next five possessions -- the gloves came off and the Michigan machine rolled.  Tight End Jake Butt had four catches for a career-high 102 yards.  Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson contributed out wide, and De’Veon Smith led Big Blue in rushing with 15 carries for 73 yards and a score.  The balanced attack worked and Timmy Drevnor’s offense simply ran over the opponent, the way it’s supposed to be in Ann Arbor.

The Michigan D

DJ Durkin’s D had no trouble handling Rutgers, who played without star receiver Leonte Caroo.  Scarlett Knights’ QB Chris Laviano finished the game 11-26 for 97 yards and one INT.  Rutgers posted 225 total yards, but excluding a 54-yard run from Robert Martin in the first quarter, the Scarlett Knights failed to amount a consistent attack.

Jourdan Lewis set a Michigan single-season record after two more pass breakups (he now has 19 on the year, topping the previous mark of 18 set by Malin Jackson and Leon Hall).  Chris Wormley had 4 tackles (two of which were sacks) and earned Defensive Player of the Game honors for his performance.  And  Jabrill Peppers, although pulled from the kick-return team do to an apparent leg injury incurred in practice last week, was all over the field, as always, including an incredible come-from-behind tackle on Rutgers’ opening drive that had everyone in the AD’s Suite talking about this kid’s speed and potential.

Big Blue’s convincing win kicked it up a few spots in the national polls and positions Coach Harbaugh for success with a two-game win streak and Uncle Mo on its side.  The MSU loss stings less now … although how sweet it was to see Sparty go down in dramatic fashion in Lincoln on Saturday night.

And hot damn!  What a crazy place college football has become this season … yeehaaawwwww … who’s havin’ fun?  Come on now.  Just look at this weekend alone … MSU goes down in flames on a blown call, Arkansas goes for the win against Ole Miss and gets it with a 2-point-conversion at the buzzer, Florida State chokes itself out of the picture and the ‘Bama / LSU game draws 11+ million viewers on national TV. So here’s where we are as we approach the final lap of the 2015 season.

‘Bama moves up to #2 after it took down LSU Saturday night, with Clemson remaining at #1 and OSU at #3 … the Golden Domers benefit most from LSU’s loss and move into the top four.  Iowa jumped from 9th to 5th and looks like it’s seriously interested in post-season action, with Stanford also rising significantly from #11 to #7.  Baylor and Oklahoma State remain the Big 12 stand-outs, with a collision course set for next weekend, with the victor likely to contend a national title.  Michigan and Michigan State stand separated by one slot, but are moving in different directions – Sparty fell 6 notches after its “unfortunate” loss in Lincoln (the call may have been horseshit, but that’s the way the ball bounces, and it couldn’t have happened to a finer institution), and Big Blue jumped 3 spots after its home slaughtering of Rutgers.  Crazy finishes are the norm, great rivalries are taking it to a new level and the excitement of college football’s Final Four is driving a lot of energy into the final lap of this year’s race.  Here’s some juice for those who need to engage in the playoff-speculation conversation … as for me, it’s bear down and eyes on the road … college football has entertained all season long, and this weekend will be no different ... but focus is necessary for success, and it’s game time … Those Who Stay Will Be Champions (well said by Harbaugh’s ’86 boys).  Bring on the Hoosiers!  That’s right, we’re bringing the Hurricane plus the kitchen sink … yippee kaye motherfucker!

Michigan vs. Indiana – The Preview

This game is huge for both sides … for Big Blue, Coach Harbaugh needs to continue his winning ways to stay in the hunt in the Big Ten East … and in Bloomington, the Hoosiers need two more wins to become bowl eligible (pathetic given that IU started 4-0, but an overall positive for a program that sees Bowl games about as often as Greg Hardy is praised by the National Women’s League … a gross story about Hardy and the fact that he’s still suiting up on Sunday’s is testament to America’s broken value system and the ridiculous impact professional football has on our society due our “gambling problem” and other competitive dynamics. I know, it’s still way too early for any serious bowl-game speculation … but the idea of Michigan and USC bashing helmets at the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day certainly is intriguing.

Michigan opened as an 11-point favorite, and that’s an aggressive call for a team on the road in Indiana’s cow pastures.  IU is 4-5, having dropped 5 in a row after starting perfect in its first four.  Coach Kevin Wilson’s squad played Ohio State close back in October (losing 34-27 at home against the Buckeyes) and played Iowa close last weekend, falling 35-27.  But then there’s IU’s 55-52 loss to Rutgers at home smells worse than that really scenic part of I5, right near Bakersfield.

Indiana comes into the contest ranked 120th in the country in total yards (surrendering 504 yards per game) and ranked 115th in points allowed per game at 37.  And while those numbers look appetizing on paper, Hoosier Nation played OSU and MSU close and this is, without doubt, a potential trap game for Michigan and it makes me nervous.  IU features a powerful offense on its best day and it certainly would like a victory over Big Blue, particularly given that the last time that happened was in 1987.  Michigan is 54-9 against IU in the history of the rivalry and has no intention of reversing the recent trend of 19 straight UM victories (IU has beaten UM just once since 1967).

The early prediction is now in … Michigan 38 - Indiana 10.

Go Blue!