It wasn't close this time around when the Michigan Wolverines football team hit the road for Indiana.
Here's a look around at what they're saying about the 39-14 victory:
Chris Balas, TheWolverine.com: Notes, Quotes & Observations
Indiana head coach Tom Allen expressed great confidence before the game — maybe even a hint of cockiness — that his team felt “different” and might be ready to compete with the likes of U-M.
By the end, they’d carted or helped off a handful of Indiana starters, the students that took to social media to plan the rushing the field (and yes, that was a thing) had left, and Michigan fans took over Memorial Stadium once again with chants of ‘Let’s Go Blue!’
In the locker room, some (like sophomore end Aidan Hutchinson) turned their attention immediately to the next one … The Game with Ohio State.
“No one was even talking about this game,” he said. “We’re all ready for next week.”
A few, though, took a moment to remind the Hoosiers of their place in the Big Ten East.
“We heard this week that their coach was saying that they’re one of the toughest teams in the Big Ten. We kind of took that as disrespect,” fifth-year senior left tackle Jon Runyan Jr. said. “We came up here and we showed them how we play football. We’re happy with the results.
“We’re going to enjoy this one, especially because of all the trash they were talking before the game … especially coming from the head coach.”
Manufactured disrespect? Maybe. But it’s been working for Harbaugh and Co.
None of that is necessary for next week, of course. The Wolverines have lost 14 of the last 15 to the Buckeyes, something that would have seemed unfathomable at the turn of the millennium but is all too real. And let’s be clear — it would be a monumental upset for Michigan to stop the streak next week; yes, similar to the one 50 years ago in 1969, Bo Schembechler’s first year.
And that’s the only time we’ll bring it up this week, because being the huge home underdog is the only parallel.
Josh Uche says everyone associated with Michigan football knows, and has known, what Nico Collins is capable of.
The Wolverines have seen the junior receiver make plenty of plays, both during practices and games. He was the team's leading receiver last season, and he has been the biggest play-maker this season, leading the team in yards per catch and receiving touchdowns.
And that talent — coupled with plenty of opportunities — led to a career-best game in Saturday's 39-14 win at Indiana.
"Man’s a beast," Uche said. "Everyone in the organization, we knew that. Anyone can be a practice All-American. But to see it come to fruition on game days is magical. Knowing what somebody’s capable of doing and seeing them execute, it’s just great to see."
The Hoosiers were allowing an average of 176 passing yards per game. Collins nearly eclipsed that number, catching six passes for a career-best 165 yards and three touchdowns.
Of the seven targets he received, only one didn't lead to a reception — and that was an overthrown pass on which Collins cleanly beat his defender for what would've been a long touchdown. He even drew another pass interference penalty — his ninth of the season, the most in the nation, according to Pro Football Focus.
This time, Michigan’s going to enter Ohio State week as a home underdog against a club that’s barely been tested all year. A talent-rich monster that appears capable of winning a national championship, led by Ryan Day, a first-year coach who is 14-0. The Wolverines are going to see Justin Fields, a quarterback who has thrown 31 touchdowns against one interception and a defense that hasn’t given up more than 285 yards all season.
If you’ve convinced yourself this is an impossible task, I’m not going to fight you on it. But before you put a final stamp on your thoughts heading into this one, consider one final note.
Michigan’s going to enter Michigan Stadium on Saturday for the 115th installment of this storied rivalry. And it’s going to do it with its best players — those same guys who pumped their fists in the cold Saturday night — playing the best football of their respective careers.
And, folks: That’s got to be worth something.
“There were some growing pains early on (this year),” said Patterson, who became the first quarterback in program history to register back-to-back games with at least four touchdown passes in a 39-14 thrashing of the host Hoosiers. “But we’ve made our adjustments.”
Michigan’s entering the biggest game of the year playing its best football of the year, with its most talented players leading the way. In terms of a one-game scenario against a juggernaut, Michigan really can’t ask for a better situation. The Wolverines will be at home. Their senior quarterback is playing like a senior quarterback. Their monster wide receiver is playing like a monster. Their speedy defense is playing fast. And the coaching staff is pushing every button.
Rainer Sabin, Detroit Free Press: How Shea Patterson has surged at end of Michigan football career
The statistics justify Harbaugh’s praise. In the past two games, Patterson has completed 44 of 65 pass attempts for 750 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception. In the process, he has emerged as the confident, able leader of offensive coordinator Josh Gattis’ newly installed system, helping bring speed in space into living color.
He’s hitting his receivers in stride, as he did in the third quarter when he delivered a skinny post to Nico Collins for a 76-yard touchdown that sealed the victory. He’s making quick decisions, sending the ball out to the edges and allowing the wideouts to defeat the defenders guarding them in single coverage.
“He’s playing on time with everything that we’ve done,” Harbaugh said. “It’s become very precise with Shea, the receivers, the tight ends, backs.”
And, left tackle Jon Runyan Jr. said, “He’s not hanging on to (the ball) too long.”
That might be the biggest difference.
Patterson has sped up his release. Through the first three games, when Michigan was 2-1, he was averaging 2.64 seconds in the pocket before unleashing a pass, according to ProFootballFocus.com. In the three games that preceded the Wolverines’ victory over Indiana, the ball was coming out almost two-tenths of a second quicker.
That might not seem like a big difference. But it is.
As Harbaugh said, “It’s all on time.”
And for Patterson, it’s happening at the climax of the season, when the stakes become greater. Ohio State is coming to Ann Arbor on Saturday, and Patterson explained that everything the Wolverines have done to this point has been building toward that date with its rival.
Ben Kercheval, CBSSports.com: This is Michigan's best chance to knock off the Buckeyes
I buy it, but with a caveat: Both Michigan and Ohio State are playing their best football now -- with the Buckeyes doing so at a historic level. Jim Harbaugh's team has played well since the second half of its loss to Penn State earlier in the year. The Wolverines' four-game winning streak includes statement victories over Notre Dame and now Indiana, 39-14. Those are two pretty good teams and Michigan beat them by a combined average of 28 points. Next week's game against Ohio State is in Ann Arbor, Michigan. There is a "if not now, then when?" vibe to this game for Harbaugh, though there have been instances like that in the past, too. What I keep coming back to is if Ohio State is historically good right now, is there enough room for Michigan to be dominant too? Unlikely, but you have to think at some point it's going to get one against its fiercest rival.
Ashley Bastock, The Toledo Blade: Michigan's focus now 100% on Ohio State
Even earlier this year, at Big Ten media days, while Ohio State was talking about how they practice for Michigan everyday with something called “The Team Up North Drill,” Michigan players didn’t want to get into specifics about what may or may not be a part of their yearlong prep for the Buckeyes.
“We've always handled things more internally,” offensive guard Ben Bredeson said at the time.
But much like in July, Ohio State coach Ryan Day wasn’t shying away from the rivalry after Ohio State’s 28-17 win over Penn State on Saturday.
“We live it every day, the Team Up North is something that we talk about every single day,” Day said. “And the best way to respect a rivalry is to work it every day. And we do.”
Michigan may be coming together at just the right time for this matchup. They’ve seemed like a different team since the second half against Penn State, and their offense is firing on all cylinders.
Over the last 18 quarters, Michigan has outscored its opponents 180-52, and has put up 1,918 yards of offense. Shea Patterson and Nico Collins both had career games against the Hoosiers on Saturday, and the defense self-corrected this week after giving up two early touchdowns.
But while Michigan may be good, Ohio State may be historically great. With the Big Ten East locked up, the Buckeyes seem to be a lock for both a Big Ten championship and a trip to the College Football Playoff.
The weather elements created a true late-season atmosphere that Michigan fans in attendance reveled in during another dominating win. The Wolverines have won four straight by at least 25 points heading into Saturday's (Nov. 30) regular-season finale at the Big House with No. 2-ranked Ohio State.
While No. 12 Michigan (9-2, 6-2 Big Ten) was scoring at will and playing dominating defense, fans chanted, "LET'S GO BLUE!"
With the game put away, the chant turned to: "BEAT OHIO!"
The undefeated Buckeyes (11-0, 9-0) are coming to town just as hot and dominating over the last month.
Patterson moved up to No. 9 in Michigan career passing yards with 5,123, surging ahead of Steve Smith (4,860, 1980-83) and closing in on No. 8 Tom Brady (5,351, 1996-99) and his coach, Harbaugh (5,449, 1983-86), at No. 7.
However, he knows the greatest legacy he could have would be becoming the quarterback who helped the Wolverines break a seven-game losing streak to their arch-rivals.
When asked about turning their focus to Ohio State, defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson noted that talk of that game began quickly upon reaching the locker room after beating the Hoosiers.
Patterson was asked about that.
"We understand the level of intensity this game brings," said Patterson. "Everything we do leading up to this game is already planned throughout the season.
"Just the word 'Ohio State' in itself is enough for us."
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