The Indiana Hoosiers looked flat right out of the gate in Ann Arbor. IU settled for only a field goal against Michigan during the first quarter. And a three-time Super Bowl winner in Kenjon Barner came after the Hoosiers.
Barner, who won Super Bowls with the Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, observed the action inside the famed “Big House” as IU’s offensive struggles stretched there. Indiana previously looked flat going against Ohio State in Bloomington one week ago.
Kenjon Barner Drops Harsh Take
Barner saw an “undisciplined” version of the Hoosiers compared to the past national title winner under coach Curt Cignetti.
“The last two weeks of Indiana football, the Hoosiers have not looked like a Cignetti team,” Barner began via the social media website X, formerly Twitter. “Very Undisciplined, uncharacteristic mistakes, penalties and offensively can’t get lined up today!”
Barner witnessed IU quarterback Josh Hoover settle for just 29 passing yards after the first. Running back Lee Beebe Jr. settled for 34 yards. Wide receiver Nick Marsh, who struggled to stay in bounds on what would’ve been the game-winning touchdown over Ohio State, caught just two passes for 25 yards.
Indiana tallied 84 total yards collectively through the early portion of the second quarter, averaging only 3.4 yards per play.
Indiana Defense Bailing Out Hoosiers
So the offense has remained stagnant against an unranked Wolverines team. Meanwhile, IU’s defense faced the debut of Tommy Carr behind center for the Wolverines.
Indiana threw the kitchen sink at Carr.
The brother of Notre Dame passer CJ Carr, plus grandson of legendary Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr, turned more to his legs. The new Michigan starting QB settled for 19 yards on four carries before the 13-minute mark.
But Carr struggled leaning into this arm, throwing four-of-seven for just 23 yards. And he got intercepted facing Amare Ferrell of the Hoosiers. That miscue set up Indiana’s 34-yard field goal to place the defending national champs up 6-0. Even Barner called out the performance of the Michigan offense.
Indiana Still in Big Ten, College Football Playoff Race
All the loss to the Buckeyes did was ruin Indiana’s nation-long 22-game winning streak. But it never disrupted two other pursuits.
So IU is still bowl eligible at 6-1 overall (six wins guarantees making a bowl game). Yet Indiana can still clinch a spot in the conference title game out in Indianapolis come Dec. 5.
The Hoosiers must win out the rest of the way including beating Michigan. Only No. 16 USC is the last remaining ranked foe left on Indiana’s schedule.
And despite the win over the Hoosiers, Ohio State’s road to the Big Ten title game is tougher. The Buckeyes still face two ranked foes in USC on Halloween, No. 24 Northwestern on Nov. 14, plus their three remaining non-ranked foes including Michigan only have two losses so far and are all above .500. UCLA is the biggest threat to make it to Indy in December, though. The Bruins rise as the conference’s last unbeaten left and don’t face a ranked opponent until Nov. 28, against rival USC.
But back to Indiana, the Hoosiers must snap out of their offensive funk to prevent a stunning second straight loss.
3-Time Super Bowl Winner Rips ‘Undisciplined’ Indiana Performance vs. Michigan