Ann Arbor — Back in December after taking the Indiana head coaching job, Curt Cignetti boldly went where no Hoosiers football coach had gone. Cignetti, speaking to fans at Assembly Hall, played to his audience by first mentioning Indiana’s in-state rival. Then he took it another step.

That’s because Indiana is rolling, ranked No. 8 in the College Football Playoff rankings, and the Hoosiers have been clowning every team in its path not too dissimilar from how Michigan has the past three seasons. Thus, the 5-4, unranked Wolverines have an uphill climb in this tough battle.

BLOOMINGTON — The College Football Playoff committee found Indiana football’s resume lacking when it met earlier this week to discuss the first playoff rankings of the season. The No. 8 Hoosiers (9-0;

With Michigan struggling to replicate the successes of the late Jim Harbaugh era, could we see a repeat of a 2020 loss at Indiana?

Indiana enters this game leading the country in run defense, allowing an average 72.6 yards rushing, and the Hoosiers are coming off a 47-10 win at Michigan State in which they held the Spartans to minus-36 yards rushing.

Michigan will enter Saturday as a big underdog to Indiana. The Wolverines have dominated the series against the Hoosiers and Michigan has lost twice since 1987.