Indiana might have beaten Michigan, but the Hoosiers set football back 100 years in the process. Their ugly 13-6 overtime victory was nothing like the Curt Cignetti football fans have come to expect. Neither team managed a touchdown in regulation.

Michigan’s offensive struggles were understandable, with freshman Tommy Carr making his first start. But Indiana had no such excuse for its offensive collapse. And at the center of that mess was Cignetti’s handpicked quarterback, Josh Hoover.

“[Does] that Indiana also seems to have a problem moving the ball offensively? Josh Hoover seems like the last quarterback standing in the Big Ten. He’s still out there playing. Is he hurt? He’s been bad. He was very bad yesterday,” Ralph Russo said on The Audible podcast.

Despite heading into the game with zero picks and 19 touchdowns, Hoover gave his worst performance of his college career. Hoover went on to throw for 81 passing yards on 8-of-18 attempts and his first pick of the season. What’s concerning is that Cignetti did not seem to have enough confidence in Hoover’s passing game. Hoover threw the pigskin only once in the entire second half, and that, unfortunately, ended as an interception.

The Hoosiers had to rely on their defense and running game to survive.

However, as bad as Hoover was, he deserves some slack. Cignetti confirmed after the game that Hoover was not at full strength, saying, “He wasn’t 100% today.”

The Hoosiers’ coach reportedly admitted they had considered turning to backup Grant Wilson in the second half because Hoover was so limited by the injury. That revelation changes the conversation a little, but you find out that’s how he’s been rolling lately!

Russo called that bit out: “That’s all they’ve been playing lately. Unless I’m forgetting a Rutgers game, their last three games against legitimate opponents included a come-from-behind win over Nebraska, a loss to Ohio State by a toe, and now a win over Michigan. They keep winning these coin-flip games.”

It’s not just the Michigan game! The concerning part is that Indiana’s offensive struggles are becoming a pattern. The Hoosiers had scored just five touchdowns across their previous three games.

Bruce Feldman also questioned whether Hoover was the right choice for Cignetti, although he acknowledged that the quarterback’s situation was not entirely straightforward. “Is this the first time Curt Cignetti has gotten something wrong with his handpicked guy, Josh Hoover?” Feldman asked.

He added that people familiar with Hoover’s time in the Big 12 had already seen him struggle with turnovers, even though he had improved in that area. The concern is that Indiana brought Hoover in because of his experience and ability to manage the offense. Now, the Hoosiers are struggling to get consistent production from him, raising questions about whether the investment at quarterback is delivering Cignetti’s expected ROI!

The bigger issue is whether this brand of football can cut it in the playoffs.

Steve Mandel raised that question directly, comparing Indiana’s situation to Texas and asking whether the Hoosiers could actually win a national championship. Feldman responded that Indiana’s defense was good enough to do it, even suggesting that it might be better than last season’s championship-winning unit.

That is a significant compliment, but a great defense can only carry a team so far if its offense cannot sustain drives or put points on the board. Against Michigan, despite having two of the three best wide receivers in the Big Ten in Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh, both were having free days at the office. That doesn’t work in the playoffs!

For Cignetti, the answer is not necessarily to abandon Hoover after one ugly performance. His experience remains valuable, and the coach clearly trusted him enough to stick with him despite the injury concerns. But Indiana needs to figure out how to get its offense moving again before the playoffs arrive.

The Hoosiers can survive close games against teams like Michigan, but the margin for error will be much smaller against elite programs in the playoffs.

Their defense might be championship-caliber, but Hoover could be the one standing between Curt Cignetti and his second national title! If Hoover’s struggles continue, Cignetti could find that winning ugly is no longer enough!

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