Indiana football clawed out a narrow win Saturday in Ann Arbor, but it wasn't pretty.
The Hoosiers needed overtime to survive Michigan
, overcoming an offensive performance that left plenty to be desired thanks in large part to another dominant defensive effort.
Still, even in a game where Indiana struggled to move the ball, several Hoosiers strengthened their standing while others saw their stock slip.
Here are four players rising and three players falling after Indiana's overtime victory over Michigan.
Tobi Osunsanmi probably doesn't belong in a Stock Report anymore. He's already established himself as one of Indiana's best players
.
But there's another kind of stock worth monitoring: his NFL Draft stock.
Osunsanmi was arguably the best player on the field Saturday, recording two sacks and two tackles for loss against Michigan. He has now recorded a sack in seven consecutive games and ranks tied for second nationally with nine on the season.
The Indiana defensive end has appeared in the late Day 2 to early Day 3 range of NFL mock drafts, but performances like Saturday's are making a compelling case for him to climb higher.
Injury or not, Saturday was Josh Hoover's worst performance as a Hoosier.
The Indiana quarterback completed just 8 of 18 passes for 81 yards and threw his first interception of the season. The passing game was practically nonexistent after halftime, with Hoover attempting just two passes in the second half.
Yes, Hoover was playing through an injury
. And yes, he delivered when Indiana needed him most, scoring the game-winning touchdown in overtime.
But Indiana's championship aspirations depend heavily on the player under center. The Hoosiers need a healthier, more consistent version of Hoover than the one they got Saturday.
Brock Schott's return to Indiana's tight end rotation is beginning to pay dividends.
After missing time with an injury earlier in the season, Schott has recorded a reception in back-to-back games. His latest was arguably Indiana's biggest offensive play Saturday, a 21-yard catch in overtime that set up Hoover's game-winning touchdown run.
Trevor Gibbs has established himself as Indiana's top blocking tight end, but Schott is making a case for a larger role in the passing game. And had Hoover found him on an open red-zone opportunity against Ohio State, Schott might have a touchdown to his name, too.
Davion Chandler appeared to be making a strong case for Indiana's No. 3 receiver spot earlier this season. Now, his place in the rotation is considerably less certain.
After fumbling against Ohio State, Chandler didn't play an offensive snap Saturday against Michigan.
Whether that was related to the fumble, Indiana's limited passing opportunities, or something else entirely remains unclear.
But with Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh firmly established atop the receiving hierarchy, Chandler appears to be losing ground in the competition for opportunities behind them.
Jacob Savage's emergence is quickly becoming one of Indiana's more interesting defensive developments of the season.
The true freshman made another start Saturday against Michigan and played a season-high 49 defensive snaps, recording seven tackles and a tackle for loss.
Savage continues to out-snap Byron Baldwin as defensive coordinator Bryant Haines leans more heavily on three-linebacker packages featuring Savage alongside Rolijah Hardy and Isaiah Jones.
What began as an opportunity for a young linebacker to earn occasional snaps has turned into something considerably more substantial.
At this point, Savage isn't simply pushing for playing time. He's becoming a fixture in Indiana's defensive plans.
Indiana's offensive line has faced plenty of criticism for its struggles opening running lanes in recent weeks, but Saturday's performance against Michigan was a step in the right direction.
The Hoosiers' offensive front held up reasonably well overall. Drew Evans, however, had an afternoon he'd probably like back.
Evans received a 20.5 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, by far the lowest among Indiana's offensive linemen. Both quarterback pressures and both quarterback hurries allowed by Indiana's offensive line were charged to Evans.
One difficult afternoon doesn't erase what he's done the last couple of seasons, but it was a clear step backward.
Billy Gowers certainly got his money's worth Saturday.
With Indiana's offense struggling to sustain drives, the Hoosiers' punter was called upon seven times against Michigan. He responded with his best performance of the season.
Gowers averaged 45.1 yards per punt, including two kicks that traveled more than 50 yards and three that pinned the Wolverines inside their own 20-yard line.
It was a welcome turnaround after a difficult outing against Ohio State, when Gowers struggled to consistently flip field position.
In a game where every yard mattered, Indiana needed its punter to deliver. He did.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/indiana as Indiana Football Stock Report: Who's Rising and Falling After Michigan Win .
