College Football

Big Noon Highlights: After slow start, Michigan blows out Indiana, 52-7

Updated Oct. 14, 2023 4:29 p.m. ET

It sure looked like Indiana was fully prepared to give Michigan a game Saturday and secure its first win at the Big House since 1967. Then the clock ticked down, and the quarter changed from the first to the second, and such upset dreams died a quick death.

Following a sluggish first quarter, which the maize and blue coaching staff is sure to use as a teaching moment moving forward, the Wolverines took control and ran away with another Big Ten conference game with eight unanswered scoring drives to win going away, 52-7.

Some thoughts on a complete outing by the second-ranked team in the country on Big Noon Saturday:

-- J.J. McCarthy took a surprising four sacks, including three on his first two drives, but was otherwise pretty slippery escaping pressure across the middle two quarters. He was an extra-efficient 14-of-17 passing for 222 yards and three touchdowns, but it was his ability to extend plays that really jump-started the offense. Given how far back he started after his first sack, to wind up with 27 yards on the ground is almost as impressive as some of his throws into tight coverage.

-- If you told Jim Harbaugh that his team would rush for under four yards per carry and win going away, he might not have believed you. Despite the paltry ground stats — and just 157 total yards — it was still a solid day on the ground with Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards each finding the end zone and providing several nice off-tackle runs.

-- Michigan's defense got fooled on a double-pass trick play for Indiana's initial points but otherwise came up with a big stop pretty much every time after that. The four turnovers — two picks, two sack-fumbles — showed why this is one of the best units in the country and capable of throwing wave after wave of feisty front seven defenders after you.

-- Tom Allen made a coordinator change over the off week and installed former Temple and Northern Illinois head coach Rod Carey as the playcaller in this one to mixed results. The Hoosiers finished with under 250 yards on the day and averaged under four yards/play but still had some flashes of being able to move the ball effectively — albeit in limited spurts.

Highlights: Michigan rolls past Indiana

-- The final score won't overshadow the quarterback battle that Allen and Carey now need to deal with ahead of their next game as both Brendan Sorsby and starter Tayven Jackson had moments of substance mixed in with some troublesome turnovers. Sorsby clearly adds a bit more in the run game given the way he can scoot and scramble but his two fumbles and shaky play when dropping back might not be the answer. Jackson did toss both interceptions but was otherwise actually fairly decent on intermediate passes on the few series he had.

Is Michigan the best team in the nation?

Here's the blow-by-blow below.

No. 2 Michigan vs. Indiana

06:04 4Q: Salt in the wound?

Tom Allen won't be thrilled by Jim Harbaugh going for it on fourth-and-goal late in a game — and throwing it to boot — but that had to be a nice moment for former Hoosier Jack Tuttle throwing a touchdown pass to cap off a 5-for-5 passing effort after taking over under center.

Jack Tuttle finds Karmello English for a TD to give Michigan a 52-7 lead against Indiana

12:02 4Q: Edwards finds the end zone

A couple of drives ago, Donovan Edwards tried to call off Blake Corum, so he could stay on the field and get a touchdown run. It didn't end up happening then, but it did on this possession — thanks to an assist from Jack Tuttle — as the No. 2 tailback punches it in for a score to put Michigan up 45-7 after seven unanswered scoring drives.

Donovan Edwards punches in his first TD of the season

0:49 3Q: Another turnover!

It's turnover No. 3 for the Hoosiers as Brendan Sorsby was sacked and fumbled. Big Mason Graham snapped it up and rumbled 12 yards with to midfield. Former IU quarterback Jack Tuttle entered for the Wolverines on the ensuing possession, meaning J.J. McCarthy's day is done after a 14-of-17, 222-yard and three-touchdown afternoon at the Big House.

7:39 3Q: Michigan is piling on

As soon as Tayven Jackson returned to the game, he wound up fumbling while getting sacked for another turnover under his watch. That Michigan front seven has established itself at the line of scrimmage and there's not much that the Hoosiers can do about it right now.

8:28 3Q: McCarthy making it look easy

It's getting late early at the Big House, as Michigan has now rolled off 35 unanswered points following Semaj Morgan's tough running to get to the end zone. The key to the latest drive was once again J.J. McCarthy, who showed just how slippery he was in escaping pressure a handful of times to move the sticks and net some big gains. After a grand total of -8 yards after their first two drives, the Wolverines are now averaging 7.2 yards per play.

Semaj Morgan goes 7 hard-fought yards for the TD

10:46 3Q: Michigan's defense is dominating

How tough has Michigan's defense been since allowing that trick-play touchdown by Indiana? They've allowed the Hoosiers to run 12 plays for a total of zero total yards while forcing three punts. Total domination.

12:22 3Q: Quick strike for Michigan!

Michigan is about ready to turn on the cruise control after taking the first drive of the second half right down for a touchdown. J.J. McCarthy made a great play, scrambling and tossing it one off one foot to Colston Loveland, who did the rest on a 54-yard touchdown. That's four consecutive touchdown drives to build up this lead, all of which have gone at least 46 yards to pay dirt.

J.J. McCarthy links up with Colston Loveland for a 54-yard TD

Halftime notes

It was a tale of two quarters in the first half of Big Noon Saturday this week, as Indiana looked primed for an upset with the way the Hoosiers were flying around early … right until Michigan wrestled control of the momentum to start to pull away and go up 21-7 at the break. Some halftime thoughts on both sides:

— What will the Hoosiers do at quarterback the rest of the way? Tom Allen told FOX's Jenny Taft that they'll roll with the hot hand, but that's a bit murky at the moment. Tayven Jackson found some success with his arm in going 7-of-11 on the first two series, but the interception he threw in the red zone caused him to be a clipboard-holder the rest of the way. Brendan Sorsby was more effective mixing in his running ability, yet was just 3-of-6 for 12 yards through the air.

— Michigan had a dominant second quarter despite averaging just 1.7 yards per carry — numbers largely due to three early sacks of J.J. McCarthy. The offense started to flex after the first-quarter struggles though, with Blake Corum scoring twice on the ground to go with his 32 yards, and the young signal-caller really coming alive with intermediate passing. McCarthy finished the first half 11-of-14 for 153 yards and a TD on fourth-and-goal.

— Jesse Minter's defense for the home side also deserves plenty of kudos for dialing things up at the right time. They were burned on a trick play touchdown in the first quarter, but still forced three punts and had a red zone pick that was returned to midfield. Perhaps the change in offensive coordinators for the Hoosiers prompted a bit more of a conservative game plan initially, but the Wolverines eventually started to look like the defense that is statistically among the best in the country.

0:11 2Q: Michigan strikes again

Michigan took control of this one after a quick six-play, 46-yard drive to the end zone that Blake Corum punched in for his second TD of the day. J.J. McCarthy's flip pass to Donovan Edwards proved key, but this is an offense that seems to have fully woken up.

Blake Corum punches in his second TD of the half

The key is those guys up front, who allowed three sacks on the first two drives but have otherwise gotten into a groove and really rolled over the Hoosiers since likely getting an earful from the coaching staff between quarters.

1:50 2Q: Special on special teams

Indiana has stuck with Brendan Sorsby for the next two series after he entered the game, but it's led to consecutive punts for an offense that was held back by a key penalty on the most recent drive. A good Michigan punt return and a pair of timeouts could allow the Wolverines to take control of this game after an inspired effort from the visitors initially.

3:24 2Q: TOUCHDOWN MICHIGAN!

Michigan is starting to feel things on offense now, going for it on fourth-and-goal. J.J. McCarthy found a wide-open Roman Wilson in the back of the end zone to go up a touchdown. At was another 11-play march down the field (for 87 yards) that really showed how the Wolverines can just pick inferior opponents apart between the hashes despite averaging just 1.6 yards per carry at the moment. It's a night-and-day difference between the second quarter effort and that sleepwalking first quarter at the Big House.

Michigan's J.J. McCarthy connects with Roman Wilson for TD

11:19 2Q: Michigan punches back

Michigan finally puts together a drive, effectively mixing up its passing game with several solid Blake Corum runs off tackle, before the tailback punched it in from 1 yard out for the touchdown. Among the 11 plays during the drive, it was really our first signs of life out of J.J. McCarthy, too, with several nice throws into tight windows loosening up the IU defense. Michigan's 69 total yards of offense isn't what Jim Harbaugh had in mind at this point in the game, but he'll take it after such a sluggish first quarter by the home side.

Michigan's Blake Corum punches it in to tie the score

2:17 1Q: TOUCHDOWN HOOSIERS!

It was a quarterback rotation for IU as Brendan Sorsby entered on the third series — a fairly typical spot if you are going to change signal-callers — which had to do with the interception thrown on the last drive and was planned by the coaching staff. While Tayven Jackson looked solid as a passer on short routes, Sorsby's legs clearly provided a boost, with 24 yards on the ground and a key third-down conversion.

More than that, the threat of the rush helped set up a trick play as Sorsby threw it backward to Donaven McCulley, who promptly launched it downfield to a wide-open Jaylin Lucas for a 44-yard touchdown and the game's first points.

Michigan may be the No. 2 team in the country, but Indiana has been the better side so far in the first quarter.

Donaven McCulley finds Jaylin Lucas for a 44-yard TD

5:08 1Q: Hoosiers bring the heat

Two drives, two sacks allowed for Michigan, which had been giving up just three per game coming into today. The Wolverines have -8 yards of total offense, and it's largely because of the pressure up front that Indiana has been able to create.

6:34 1Q: Tip drill!

The first positive drive of the day ends in disaster for Indiana, as a tipped pass by Mike Sainristril is pulled down by Rod Moore and returned to midfield. This is what we've come to expect from the Michigan defense, however, which has been like a brick wall when foes get within 30 yards of the end zone. The Wolverines have been terrific in bringing the right amount of pressure to force a quick throw.

If there's a silver lining for the Hoosiers, it's that they were getting things going in the passing game between the hash marks. It's still early in the first quarter, and six players have already caught a pass for IU, with most of Tayven Jackson's completions coming in the middle of the field on quick drop backs. Such positivity doesn't mean much when they can't convert it into points, however.

12:20 1Q: Poor read from McCarthy

J.J. McCarthy with a play you absolutely can't have as a quarterback, not reading that Indiana was bringing an extra blitzer and failing to find his hot route to wind up with a 14-yard sack. The elements may force the Wolverines to lean a little heavier on the ground game behind Blake Corum, but keep an eye on the Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line's footing on that Big House turf. Looked like they didn't get the push they normally did on that first series.

13:59 1Q: What to expect?

With new OC Rod Carey in charge of the Hoosiers offense today, there was a lot of interest in just how the visitors would start off in the hostile atmosphere of the Big House. Well, not great in terms of early results, with one completion for negative yardage among the three pass attempts in the first series, which resulted in a three-and-out.

PREGAME NOTES

Saturday's game is drawing a lot of attention from NFL types, as a host of general managers are on hand, including a healthy contingent from Jim Harbaugh's old franchise in San Francisco.

PREGAME SCENE

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Matt Leinart and Brady Quinn reminisce on the 'Bush Push'

Coach Meyer examines the USC defense and how it might fare against the Fighting Irish.

Former Notre Dame WR, Heisman Trophy winner and NFL Hall of Famer Tim Brown is in the house.

USC head coach Lincoln Riley checked in from the team's hotel to give his thoughts before the game.

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A quick history lesson about the Fighting Irish vs. Trojans rivalry from two legendary running backs.

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When a former USC QB comes to town you give him your warmest welcome.

The South Bend crowd was not shy about letting Leinart and Ingram know who they thought was overrated.

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Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman joined the BNK crew to give a preview ahead of the matchup.

Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman joins 'Big Noon Kickoff' ahead of their rivalry matchup vs. USC

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Bryan Fischer is a college football writer for FOX Sports. He has been covering college athletics for nearly two decades at outlets such as NBC Sports, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and NFL.com among others. Follow him on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.

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CFB - Indiana Hoosiers vs. Michigan Wolverines - 10/14/2023

Bryan Fischer