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Jim Harbaugh recapped Michigan's 31-20 win over Indiana, saying the Wolverines were in "playoffs." Registered November 17, 2018.
Nick Baumgardner, press

It was not perfect. Far from being pretty. Sometimes it was dirty.

But Michigan football has now won 10 straight games.

And next week, at Ohio Stadium, the Wolverines will play for everything.

"At the next game, at the big game, at the championship game," said Jim Harbaugh of Michigan on Saturday night. "Forward."

Michigan had to face offensive hiccups and a few defensive laps on Saturday, but it still had 250 yards and a touchdown from Shea Patterson and a six-goal scorer's program from Jake Moody. a 31-20 victory over Indiana's visit.

The win pushes Michigan to 10-1 and 8-0 in the game Big Ten. A win next week to rival Ohio State (10-1, 7-1) would give the Wolverines the title of Big Ten East for the first time and make the Wolverines a world champion on Dec. 1 in Indianapolis.

More: Chase Winovich Injury: Negative X-Rays, Uncertain Status for the Ohio State

Harbaugh, meanwhile, became the first Michigan coach since Fielding H. Yost to win double-digit games in three of his first four seasons as program manager.

Josh Uche rushes against Coy Cronk, in Indiana, in the second half. (Photo: Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press)

Saturday's win could have come at a cost, however, as a high defensive end Chase Winovich left the game in the second half after seeming to suffer from an upper-body injury. Harbaugh later stated that all the x-rays and CT exams given at Winovich, at the stadium and at the hospital, remained negative. Harbaugh did not know his status for next week, immediately after the match.

In addition, running back Berkley Edwards was dragged out of the field on a stretcher after being hit in the head late in the fourth quarter. Edwards suffered a concussion, although Harbaugh said everything else looked good – because he felt in his arms and legs and was reactive.

"The situation with my brother Berkley Edwards did not sit well with me or anyone else, it was unfortunate and somehow shaken the team," said Karan Higdon, from the senior back, who scored a goal. "(That was) most definitely (a cheap shot) .It was not called .It's football, so there are things that should not happen but that happen." just keep playing. "

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Regarding the match, Michigan racked up more than 500 offensive yards on Saturday, but was too often stuck in the red zone.

Related: The inability of the Wolverines to finish in the red zone remains a problem

Moody, who took the start for a sick Nordin Quinn, shone. But the offensive had six orders of eight games or more in stall.

Michigan also played from behind for the first time in more than a month on Saturday, while running back Stevie Scott lost 7-3 with a touchdown in the first quarter. Michigan finally took the lead after two more goals from Moody and a 41-yard touchdown by Nick Eubanks, but the Hoosiers responded with a quick blow that ended in a 7-yard Peyton strike. Ramsey to Ty Fryfogle 17. -15.

In the last minute of the second quarter, Michigan went all the way to the two-yard line, but missed out due to a short distance to finish the half. After getting rushed for a first run without any timeouts and less than 30 seconds, the Wolverines attempted to play fast rather than hitting the ball. Sean McKeon was close to the touchline and the referee could not spot the ball before the time was up, leaving Michigan at zero.

Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines in the second half against Indiana. (Photo: Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press)

Harbaugh then claimed that an Indiana player seemed to have hit the ball before the blot, perhaps inadvertently.

"I asked" Did he kick the ball? "And the referee's response was," He did not want to. "That does not seem to be a judgment. was kicked by one of his players or not, in my opinion, "said Harbaugh. "But that was the answer." "He had wanted it, maybe (it would have been different)."

The Michigan defense, which had 385 yards at the top of the season, responded with a quick three and a half goals after the break before the Wolverines landed a 67-yard practice that was limited by a Higdon dive. The Wolverines would not follow anymore.

Michigan's habit of not finishing long strokes with touchdowns resurfaced on Saturday, though the Wolverines managed to get out of it, thanks largely to Moody.

"In football, everything will not go as planned, we have overcome some obstacles," said Patterson. "We had a lot of long trips, we have not finished. But (Moody) going there and finishing for us, it was great to see.

"I think there are a lot of positives to take away from that."

The next game, of course, is the biggest.

Ohio State's improved to 10-1 on Saturday with a 52-51 overtime win over Maryland. The Buckeyes have won 13 of the last 14 meetings between these two schools, including the last six years. Michigan has not won a football match in Columbus since 2000.

However, the Wolverines control their own destiny with regard to the Big Ten Championship and a possible bid for the series.

And, for the moment, they do not say anything else.

"It's a different game and we're going to make sure we're going to run our business," Higdon said. "They still have to play against us on Saturday – nothing that has happened in the past is of any importance at this stage."

More: Finally, Michigan football can grab the attention of the Ohio State

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Free Press editors, Orion Sang, Nick Baumgardner and Shawn Windsor, discuss U-M's victory over Indiana and present their initial thoughts on the OSU game on November 17, 2018.
Nick Baumgardner, press

Contact Nick Baumgardner: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @nickbaumgardner.