Early look at Indiana, which has lost 23 straight football games to Michigan

College football: Michigan vs. Indiana - November 17, 2018

Nico Collins and Michigan beat Indiana 31-20 in 2018.Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

Several of the Michigan football program's impressive streaks ended during Rich Rodriguez's underwhelming three years as head coach, from 2008 to 2010. Michigan's 33-year bowl streak was snapped. The Wolverines had their first losing season since 1967. They lost to a MAC school for the first time.

But Rodriguez kept one streak alive: Michigan's consecutive victories against Indiana.

The Wolverines beat Indiana twice during Rodriguez's tenure and each of the past six seasons, running the streak to 23 straight years.

It hasn't always been easy for Michigan, though, and Indiana will take another crack at ending the streak, at home, on Nov. 23.

Speaking of streaks, Indiana lost seven games last year for the fourth straight season. The program, if nothing else, has been remarkably consistent, mired in mediocrity or just below it for nearly its entire existence. Indiana's last winning season came in 2007; its last bowl victory in 1991.

Reversing those trends won't be easy in the brutal Big Ten East. But as mentioned, the Hoosiers have played Michigan tough. The Wolverines grinded out a 31-20 win last Nov. 17. Several promising drives stalled in the red zone: Jake Moody finished 6-for-6 on field goals. Michigan trailed at half, taking a lead it wouldn't relinquish with 9:44 left in the third quarter.

After, the Wolverines weren’t happy with what they viewed as cheap shots that left Chase Winovich and Berkley Edwards injured.

Indiana swept a weak nonconference and beat Rutgers and Maryland. But that was it.

Starting quarterback Peyton Ramsey returns for his junior season and figures to beat out his young challengers, at least initially. Ramsey completed 66 percent of his passes last season but lacks big play ability. Indiana had eight plays of 40 yards or more last season; just eight teams in FBS had fewer.

The defensive-minded Tom Allen, who enters his third full season as head coach, brought in a new offensive coordinator. There is some talent at the skill positions, but the offensive line is a question mark.

The defense returns eight starters, though the unit as a whole wasn't particularly good last year. Indiana was 97th in yards per play allowed. Allen has a new defensive coordinator as well, promoting from within.

It just doesn't look like this is the Indiana team that can make significant process against the upper echelon of the division. Michigan's 23 straight wins in the series ties the longest active streak between two conference members. The other? It also involves Indiana, which has lost just as many consecutive games against Ohio State.

Speaking of the Buckeyes, for the second year in a row Michigan will face Indiana the week before The Game. (The Wolverines will be coming off a home game against Michigan State. Indiana plays at Penn State the week before).

With the Hoosiers sandwiched between two rivals on Michigan’s schedule, the biggest challenge for the Wolverines might be staying focused.

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