In a flat game played by flat players in the flat portion of the schedule, Michigan almost got flattened Saturday.
Overcoming seven penalties, three turnovers and a 10-point deficit, the uninspired, 13th-ranked Wolverines struggled to beat lowly Indiana, 27-20, in front of 106,088 at Michigan Stadium.
"We didn't get up for this game like we should've," Michigan quarterback Scott Dreisbach said. "We weren't as ready to play as we should've been, and it showed."
Though he threw for 218 yards and a touchdown, Dreisbach completed just 48.6 percent of his passes and was intercepted twice.
Though they played a team that was ranked ninth in the Big Ten in offense entering the game, the Wolverines gave up more points than they have all season.
And though the Hoosiers (0-4 Big Ten, 2-5 overall) are one of four mediocre teams Michigan faces in successive weeks, they were able to take a 17-7 lead midway through the second quarter and stay within range of the Wolverines (2-1, 5-1) until the final moments.
In fact, the Hoosiers twice had a chance to go ahead in the fourth quarter but failed.
With Michigan punting with about 10 minutes remaining, the Hoosiers didn't get the ball, because they were guilty of roughing the passer. The Wolverines were given a first-and-10 on the 50-yard line as a result and went on to kick a field goal to lead, 27-20.
"It was a young kid (who committed the penalty), but there's no excuse for it," Indiana coach Bill Mallory said. "He feels bad, but I'll still chew his butt."
Then, with just 1:35 remaining, Indiana quarterback Jay Rodgers lunged for a first down on fourth-and-one and was stopped by Michigan's David Bowens. Had he gotten the first down and gone on to score, Mallory said he would have gone for a two-point conversion and the victory.
"I thought I had it, but obviously I didn't," Rodgers said. "As I was going down, I looked to my left and reached for the marker. I thought I had it, but I guess I didn't get it."
That Rodgers and the Hoosiers were so close disturbed Michigan coach Lloyd Carr.
"We continued to make too many mistakes," Carr said. "We were flat in the first half. I don't know why."
Michigan's offensive and defensive units both had problems.
The Hoosiers ran for 106 yards in the first half. Indiana had already tied the score at seven, when Alex Smith, Indiana's highly-touted running back, scored a touchdown to put Indiana ahead, 14-7. Smith gained 99 of the Hoosiers' 140 total rushing yards.
Bill Manolopoulos' 37-yard field goal with with 2:32 left until halftime put the Hoosiers ahead by 10.
"They used a couple of wrinkles that attacked us well," Carr said. "At halftime, we had to make adjustments."
On offense, the Wolverines gained only 171 yards rushing, earning just 41 of them in the first half. No one gained over 100 yards, and Clarence Williams' 93 yards was nearly double that of five other Wolverines combined.
"We are not running the ball like I think we have to run the football to be successful," Carr said.
Michigan's passing attack was also lacking. Though Carr said the Wolverines have to throw the football more, Dreisbach probably has to complete more passes for that plan to work.
Dreisbach played through two injuries he suffered two weeks ago against Northwestern, a hyper-extended left elbow and partially separated left shoulder, and was hit hard and bruised again. His pain caused him to release the ball early, and as a result, many of his passes were too high.
"I overthrew a lot of guys, and a lot of guys were open," Dreisbach said. "If I had hit those guys, it would have been different."
The Wolverines scored first, turning a David Bowens interception into an 11-play scoring drive. Freshman running back John Anes went right tackle for a one-yard touchdown run with 3:57 remaining in the first quarter.
The lead didn't last long, however. On Michigan's next drive, Williams couldn't handle a Dreisbach pass, and Indiana's Eric Allen returned the deflection 42 yards for the touchdown with 59 seconds left in the quarter.
In the second quarter, Indiana kept the momentum. The Hoosiers rattled off a 16-play touchdown drive that lasted nearly eight minutes take the lead, 14-7.
On Michigan's next possession, Allen intercepted Dreisbach again. After a Monolopoulos field goal, things looked bad for the Wolverines.
They could only muster a 21-yard Remy Hamilton field goal and trailed, 17-10, at halftime.
A flashy reverse by Charles Woodson gave the Wolverines a boost to start the second half. On first-and-10 at the Indiana 48, Williams took the handoff from Dreisbach and gave it to Woodson. The play looked broken, but Woodson was able to elude three tacklers, sneak up the sideline, and break to the middle for a 48-yard touchdown run.
"We all knew it was coming," Mallory said. "I'm probably lucky I didn't get called on that. I was almost out there to help the play. I could not have sworn we had him, but that sucker was in and out of there."
With the score tied, it looked like the Wolverines would put the game away in the third quarter after an Indiana fumble. But after two shots at the end zone from less than a yard out, Chris Howard - with noseguard Will Carr lead blocking - couldn't punch his way through, and Indiana was still alive.
"We should have had Anes in there," Carr said. "He's 235 pounds and strong. But we would have had a touchdown if Chris hadn't slipped on his last try."
The Hoosiers picked up another field goal from Manolopoulos, a 34-yarder, with 4:28 left in the quarter to go ahead, 20-17. Dreisbach came up with a touchdown pass to tight end Jerame Tuman less than two minutes later to give Michigan the lead, 24-20.
MARK FRIEDMAN/Daily
Tight end Jerame Tuman struggles for extra yardage against Indiana's Jabar Robinson in Michigan's 27-20 come-from-behind victory Saturday.