Michigan football picks vs. No. 10 Indiana

by Junna Base November 9, 2024

A week after facing the No. 1 team in the nation, the Michigan Wolverines face another big task, but this time on the road.

The Wolverines were defeated by Oregon last week at Michigan Stadium, losing 38-17, while missed opportunities and coaching errors caused the game to get out of hand. If Sherrone Moore and the Wolverines want a different result this week, they’re going to have to play a much cleaner game, as No. 10 Indiana has proven time and time again this year that she’s not one to mess with.

The Hoosiers went a perfect 9-0 this year in their first season under new head coach Curt Cignetti and are coming off one of, if not the most impressive game they’ve played so far this year, taking on Michigan State 47:10 defeated his home court. Can the Wolverines get a different result? Five Free Press sports writers have some thoughts:

Tony Garcia

If the front of the jersey said “USC” instead, that team would be in the top five. Cignetti doesn’t mind running the ball up, Rourke is a veteran quarterback making his 43rd start, and the Hoosiers’ defense loves to ruin a quarterback’s afternoon (just ask MSU’s Aidan Chiles). Maybe UM stays early, but more likely there will be an outcome that feels inevitable. The choice: Indiana 34, AT 17.

Carlos Monarrez

Fans in Bloomington wear Cignetti T-shirts with a logo reminiscent of the Marlboro cigarette pack. Everyone knows smoking is harmful — but it’s not as harmful as Curt Cignetti’s team will be for the Wolverines this week. It’s a payback game the No. 10 Hoosiers have been waiting for since UM came out on top in last year’s 52-7 loss to them. The choice: Indiana 42, AT 17

Rainer Sabin

These are crazy times. Michigan, which beat Indiana by 45 points last season, is now the Hoosiers’ big underdog. But Curt Cignetti’s squad is legit, while the Wolverines look nothing like the juggernaut that won the national title last January. Indiana is strong across the board and is one of the top ten teams in the country in both scoring offenses And Defense. Michigan has struggled against top competition this year, losing to Texas and Oregon by an average margin of 20 points.

The Hoosiers, who have won each of their last nine games by at least two touchdowns, now join the Longhorns and Ducks as College Football Playoff contenders. So the Wolverines better prepare. It could be a long afternoon in Bloomington. The choice: Indiana 35, AT 17.

Jeff Seidel

Indiana is everything Michigan could have been. The Hoosiers hired a coach with a track record – someone who knows how to build a winning squad. Indiana went into the transfer portal and grabbed a perfectly legitimate quarterback and then bolstered its roster with guys who actually performed well in college, grabbing 14 transfers who received all-conference honors (or honorable mention). Boom – a winner was born instead of just patting and saying: Yes, but we won last year. The choice: Indiana 27, AT 14

Shawn Windsor

The Wolverines had a chance to make it a one-possession game in the fourth quarter against Oregon last week. If they can do that, they can stick with Indiana, especially if Davis Warren plays like he did against the Ducks. UM’s quarterback had his best performance. So does his team, and while the Hoosiers don’t have quite the talent as the Ducks, they still have enough to make a play down the stretch. The choice: Indiana 26, AT 20.

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