Sports

No. 17 Michigan Defense Holds Off Indiana In OT, 27-20

October 14, 2017 / 5:00 PM EDT / CBS Detroit

By Jeff Washburn

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Karan Higdon ran 25 yards for a touchdown on the first play of overtime for No. 17 Michigan and Tyree Kinnel intercepted a fourth-down pass in the end zone on the final play as the Wolverines held off Indiana 27-20 on Saturday.

Higdon finished with 200 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries, providing most the offense for Michigan (5-1, 1-1 Big Ten) on another day when the Wolverines struggled to sustain drives. His 59-yard touchdown run with 10:25 remaining in the fourth quarter put Michigan up 20-10.

A 53-yard punt return by Indiana's J-Shun Harris to the Michigan 20 set up an 8-yard touchdown pass from Peyton Ramsey to Whop Philyor with 3:33 that cut the lead to three. Griffin Oakes tied it for Indiana (3-3, 0-3) with a 46-yard field goal as regulation time expired.

Indiana's losing streak to Michigan is now 22 games, but the last two times the Wolverines have come to Bloomington it has gone to overtime. The Hoosiers have one victory (1987) against Michigan since 1967.

TAKEAWAYS

Michigan: While the Wolverines' Big Ten-leading defense (220.5 yards a game) is as good as advertised, the offense - led quarterback John O'Korn - remains a work in progress, struggling to make big plays and often finding itself in third-and-long situations. O'Korn was 10 for 20 for 58 yards.

Indiana: The Hoosiers have lost to three Top 25 opponents — Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan — and against Penn State and Michigan, they fell behind early. Like Michigan, Indiana's defense is solid but the offense is is trying to find consistency, playing two quarterbacks - Peyton Ramsey and Richard Lagow. Ramsey went most of the way, passing for 148 yards.

UP NEXT

Michigan: The Wolverines play at No. 3 Penn State next Saturday. Michigan beat the Nittany Lions 49-10 last year.

Indiana: The Hoosiers play at No. 21 Michigan State.

Jim Harbaugh