Defense / ST notes: Michigan holds high-powered Indiana to season-low numbers, rattles QB Kurtis Rourke in second half

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The Michigan Wolverines football defense held a high-powered Indiana offense to 246 total yards in a 20-15 loss — 18 of which came in the second half. The Hoosiers gained only 4 first downs and scored 5 points after halftime, and Michigan trailed by 2 at one point before suffering its fifth loss of the season.

“I would just say we came out with more juice in the second half, ready to play together as one for the defense,” Michigan junior cornerback Zeke Berry said. “And we just put plays on top of plays, and it just worked together. Just kept playing every play.”

Berry was the tone-setter, grabbing an interception on a slant route thrown by quarterback Kurtis Rourke, giving the Wolverines possession at the Indiana 7-yard line. He finished with a game-high 3 pass breakups, putting together a stellar performance despite allowing a touchdown in coverage in the first half.

“Just forgot about what happened in the first half,” Berry said of his second half. “It’s a new game in the second half, so just kept my head down, making sure I was doing my technique stuff right.”

“Zeke, just huge play, huge pick,” Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore said. “Game changer, momentum changer, all the things you want to say. For that guy to do what he’s been doing, to play corner, play nickel, play it the way he’s been playing has been awesome to see. Especially he had some struggles early in the year, but he’s really gotten better and better.”

Rourke, who was completing 73.3 percent of his passes with 19 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions entering Saturday, connected on 17 of his 28 throws for 206 yards and 2 scores versus Michigan. However, in the second half he was only 3-of-10 for 16 yards and a pick.

Michigan ramped up the pressure in the final two quarters, with the defensive line leading the charge. Two backup edge rushers — senior TJ Guy and sophomore Cameron Brandt — made big-time plays. Guy had 2 sacks on one possession that resulted in an Indiana shanked punt. Brandt blew up a screen play in between Guy’s sacks and had a strip sack earlier in the game. He recorded 2 tackles for loss in total.

“TJ Guy continues to strive to get better, his passion, the way he plays,” Moore remarked. “Cam Brandt, same thing. Two guys who haven’t played as much and really standing out.

“Overall, D-line fought really well. We’ve got to continue to get better, and we will, but I thought those guys played hard and physical.”

Guy, who totaled 2.5 stops for loss, said he believed Rourke was rattled in the second half.

“No quarterback particularly likes being touched, so it definitely bothered him,” the Michigan EDGE said. “I saw him wince a couple times.”

Michigan had confidence coming in

Indiana scored touchdowns on two-straight drives after punting on its first, and Michigan trailed by 14 points at the break. However, the defense settled in and, all told, played one of its best games.

The Hoosiers were averaging 46.6 points per game entering Saturday but were held to 20. Their 246 total yards were by far their least in a game this season, with the next-lowest mark being 312 against Washington. Their 40 rushing yards were the least they’ve had in a game since registering 36 in a loss to Maryland Oct. 15, 2022. Indiana had at least 122 rushing yards in every contest this year until Saturday.

“We knew that they weren’t really doing anything to beat us, for real, and it was going to take 100-percent focus from everybody,” Guy said of the conversations at halftime. “And that’s what we did.

“We didn’t particularly think they were crazy on offense. They did good things and they play together, play as a group. But we knew we had to be a tight-knit group, as well, to play together and play well against them.”

Moore was pleased with the effort his defense put forth.

“I thought they did an unbelievable job in the second half — the fight, the effort,” the Michigan coach said. “Just in the game, that offense is averaging 40-something points a game. To hold them to 20 was huge. 

“I thought they played really well in the second half … really, really well in the second half. Our style of ball. Obviously the first half there were some things we have to clean up, but second half was good to see.”

Michigan saw not only Berry, Brandt and Guy stand out, but also sophomore safety Brandyn Hillman. The 6-foot-0, 200-pounder knocked two Indiana players out of the game with clean hits and registered 4 tackles, a career high.

“He’s like that,” Guy raved. “You guys have not even seen close to the best of Brandyn Hillman. He’s gonna be a star, for sure.”

Michigan junior linebacker Jaishawn Barham also stepped up, leading the team with 6 tackles, including 2 behind the line of scrimmage.

Dominic Zvada scores nine of Michigan’s 15 points, sets new record

Michigan junior kicker Dominic Zvada was already the program’s single-season record holder with 4 field goals of 50-plus yards, but he made his fifth Saturday. That made him the Wolverines’ career leader, and he did it in style, drilling a 56-yarder that had plenty more distance on it to make it a one-score game (17-9) with eight seconds left in the third quarter.

The 56-yarder tied his career high, which he set as a freshman at Arkansas State in 2022 (in a 16-13 loss to Texas State). It also stands tied as the fourth-longest field goal in Michigan history. The longest is Jake Moody‘s 59-yarder in the Fiesta Bowl against TCU Dec. 31, 2022.

Zvada is 13-of-14 on field goals this season, and he’s missed only 1 extra point.

Miscellaneous Michigan defense / special teams notes

• Indiana scored at least 31 points in every game this season but was held to 20 against Michigan.

• The Hoosiers scored their least amount of points in a game since putting up an identical number in a 20-14 win over Wisconsin Nov. 4, 2023.

• Michigan junior defensive tackle Kenneth Grant batted down a third-down pass, his 12th pass breakup of the season. He broke a tie with Ryan Van Bergen for the most by a defensive lineman in Michigan history.

• Berry leads Michigan with 8 pass breakups on the season, and he’s tied atop the squad with junior cornerback Will Johnson with 2 interceptions.

• • Today’s matchup marked the sixth time in seven Big Ten games this year that the U-M defense reached at least 6.0 tackles for loss. It was the team’s fifth game (in seven) with at least 3.0 sacks.

• Guy had the first multi-sack game of his career.

• Barham had the first sack of the season.