Indiana nearly turned to its backup quarterback Saturday in Ann Arbor. Instead, the Hoosiers stuck with Josh Hoover, and he delivered the game-winner. Hoover struggled for much of Indiana’s 13-6 overtime win at Michigan, completing just 8 of 18 passes for 81 yards with an interception.
After the game, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti revealed that the coaching staff had discussed turning to backup Grant Wilson during the second half. "I wasn’t loving what I was seeing either," Cignetti said. "And there were a lot of discussions about Grant Wilson and Josh Hoover in the second half because Grant had a good week of practice and he’s very capable.
He’s big, strong, can run." After halftime, the Hoosiers barely threw at all. Indiana attempted only two passes in the second half and overtime combined, and Hoover didn’t complete a pass in the second half of regulation. The first of those two throws went to the Wolverines.
With Indiana leading 6-0 in the third quarter, Michigan’s Zeke Berry stepped in front of a Hoover pass for an interception. The Wolverines turned the takeaway into a field goal to cut the deficit to three. It was Hoover’s first interception of the season.
Cignetti decided to ride with his starter, even though Hoover wasn’t at full strength after suffering an apparent injury last week vs Ohio State. "I think at the end of the day we felt like it’s been Josh’s season and even though he’s not 100 percent, we got to finish it out with him," Cignetti said. "And he responded, and he’s going to get better physically from here on out." Hoover responded when it mattered most.
Indiana’s second pass attempt of the half came on the first snap of overtime, when Hoover found Brock Schott for a 21-yard gain. One play later, Hoover ran it in from 4 yards out for the game’s only touchdown. The Indiana defense then held at its own 13-yard line, where Tommy Carr’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete to seal the win.
The victory carried plenty of weight for the defending national champions. Indiana avoided back-to-back losses for the first time under Cignetti and won at Michigan Stadium for the first time since 1967. Michigan started Carr over freshman Bryce Underwood.
Carr finished 20 of 32 for 167 yards, an interception and a lost fumble. Indiana hosts Minnesota next week, when the Hoosiers will look to get their offense back on track with a healthier Hoover.
