Five Burning Questions Surrounding Michigan Football Ahead Of Indiana Game

Michigan's 21-18 victory over Penn State last weekend got them back on track, but it also created an entirely new set of questions heading into one of their toughest matchups of the year. True freshman quarterback Tommy Carr has suddenly become the face of the offense, the running game remains inconsistent and Jay Hill's defense is preparing for one of the most dangerous offenses in the Big Ten. Indiana enters the matchup at 6-1 after a heartbreaking 19-15 loss to Ohio State, and Curt Cignetti's Hoosiers will be looking to bounce back in a big way. For Michigan to have a chance, several things will have to go right. Here are five burning questions surrounding the Wolverines heading into Saturday.

That is undoubtedly the biggest question surrounding Michigan football right now. After Bryce Underwood struggled mightily against Penn State, Carr entered the game to start the second half and provided the spark Michigan desperately needed. He helped turn a 3-0 halftime deficit into a 21-18 victory, but now comes a much bigger test. Carr is expected to make his first career start against one of the best teams in the country, and Indiana's defense isn't going to make life easy on him. His mobility, confidence and ability to extend plays are all intriguing, but can he consistently make the throws necessary to beat a defense of this caliber? Michigan doesn't need Carr to be spectacular, but it certainly needs him to prove that last Saturday wasn't a fluke.

This might be the most important matchup of the entire game. Michigan enters the contest ranked No. 85 nationally in rushing offense, while Indiana boasts the No. 4 rushing defense in the country. That's a pretty significant mismatch on paper, especially considering how inconsistent Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter have been throughout the season. Indiana's defensive front, featuring Mario Landino, Tyrique Tucker, Tobi Osunsanmi and Stephen Daley, has been extremely difficult to move off the football. Linebackers Rolijah Hardy and Isaiah Jones only make things more challenging. Michigan simply cannot afford to become one-dimensional with a true freshman making his first start. If Marshall, Hiter and Carr can find some success on the ground, it will make everything else offensively much easier. If not, it could be a long afternoon.

Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover has been one of the more productive quarterbacks in the Big Ten, and he's surrounded by enough weapons to make defenses pay for mistakes. He's thrown 18 touchdown passes against ZERO interceptions. To say he's been efficient is an understatement. However, Michigan defensive coordinator Jay Hill has an opportunity to change the complexion of this matchup if his unit can create turnovers. Hoover is coming off a frustrating loss against Ohio State, and the Wolverines need to find ways to make him uncomfortable in the pocket. That means generating pressure, disguising coverages and forcing him into difficult throws. Michigan cannot simply sit back and allow Hoover to operate comfortably because Indiana has too many playmakers capable of taking advantage. A couple of takeaways could provide Michigan's struggling offense with short fields and potentially swing the momentum. Against a team as talented as Indiana, stealing possessions could be the difference between winning and losing.

Michigan has plenty of experience in the secondary, but that experience will be tested against an Indiana passing attack featuring two extremely dangerous receivers. Nick Marsh has already demonstrated his ability to completely take over games, including his six-catch, 187-yard, two-touchdown performance against Nebraska. And, as a Detroit kid, you know he'll be pumped up for this one. Charlie Becker leads the team in catches with 39, yards with 694 and touchdowns with eight. Michigan's defensive backs, including Smith Snowden, will need to be disciplined in coverage and avoid surrendering explosive plays. Indiana doesn't necessarily need to string together long drives when it has receivers capable of flipping the field in an instant. The Wolverines must tackle well in space, communicate effectively and prevent Hoover from finding favorable matchups. If Michigan can limit the big plays and force Indiana to work for everything, Hill's defense will have a much better chance of keeping the game competitive.

Even if Michigan's defense plays well, there is still the very real question of whether the Wolverines can score enough points to win. Indiana is No. 24 in the country averaging 36.6 points per game. Michigan, on the other hand, comes in at No. 106, averaging just 22.7 points per contest. The Hoosiers have one of the most balanced and explosive offenses in the Big Ten, while Michigan has struggled to consistently move the football for much of the season. The Wolverines cannot expect to win this game by scoring 17 or 20 points unless their defense delivers an exceptional performance. Carr will need to connect with Andrew Marsh, JJ Buchanan and Hogan Hansen through the air, while Marshall and Hiter must provide some balance on the ground. Michigan also needs to finish drives with touchdowns instead of settling for field goals. Indiana's defense is talented enough to make every possession difficult, which means wasted opportunities could prove costly. The Wolverines don't necessarily need an offensive explosion, but they'll almost certainly need their most complete offensive performance of the season to pull off the upset.