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Tommy Carr's 1st start doesn't spark Michigan in OT loss to Indiana
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- Tommy Carr's 1st start doesn't spark Michigan in OT loss to Indiana
As it turns out, it wasn't solely the quarterback holding Michigan football back.
True freshman Tommy Carr, a 19-year-old from nearby Saline , made his first career start and looked how many 19-year-olds would in their first action against the No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers . He made some nice plays with his legs and had a handful of good passing decisions , but made a trio of poor decisions in the first half that led to turnovers and a lengthy field goal attempt.
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The offense came up short again and the Hoosiers beat the Wolverines 13-6 , for their first win in Ann Arbor since 1967. It ends any final hope for a Michigan appearance in the 2026 College Football Playoff.
Michigan (4-3, 1-3 Big Ten ) tied the game as time expired with a 26-yard field goal to force overtime. But the Hoosiers (7-1, 4-1) got the first touchdown of the day in two plays – a 21-yard completion, their first of the second half, before a 4-yard Josh Hoover quarterback keeper.
Carr completed 20 of 32 passes for 167 yards with one interception and a lost fumble, both in the first half.
Carr made an impressive play on fourth-and-5 in overtime, rolling right and lowering his shoulder to pick up 6 yards and extend the drive, but it only delayed the inevitable.
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On fourth-and-9 moments later, he rolled left, then threw for Salesi Moa on a comeback route, but the ball hit the ground just before Moa could corral it and the Hoosiers danced on the field to celebrate.
Michigan had a chance to win in regulation, trailing 6-3 and driving 58 yards in 13 plays taking the final 7:32 of regulation. But Carr was sacked on third-and-goal at the 3, setting up a Trey Butkowski 26-yard tying field goal.
SHAWN WINDSOR: Jason Beck's bizarre play-calling cost Michigan the upset of Indiana
Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover (10) runs for a touchdown against Michigan during overtime at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026.
U-M was shutout and held to less than 100 offensive yards at the half for a second straight week. In addition to two Carr turnovers leading to IU's two field goals in regulation, Carr was immediately sacked for 12 yards at the end of the half, which forced a career-long 53-yard field goal attempt from Butkowski, who missed way left.
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The second half was in some ways a microcosm of the season.
U-M marched 74 yards in 13 plays on its opening drive and had the ball third-and-goal at the 1, when offensive coordinator Jason Beck opted for a play-action boot that was intended to go to "rhino" Manuel Beigel. But Carr was dumped for a sack and Butkowski yanked the 32-yard field goal attempt wide left.
Indiana linebacker Rolijah Hardy (5) forces Michigan quarterback Tommy Carr (14) to fumble during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026.
Michigan's defense stood tall while Hoover played through an arm injury suffered last week in a loss to Ohio State. IU didn't have a single drive net more than 32 yards or last more than four minutes punted seven times, and Zeke Berry had a big interception return to set up a chip-shot field goal after Michigan's offense again was stuffed.
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Michigan visits Rutgers on Halloween next week (12:30 p.m., BTN). Indiana hosts Minnesota.
It was over when …
Carr's final pass floated toward the front left pylon, Moa dove back for the football and it nipped the turf before it settled in the freshman receiver's arms.
Player of the game: Zeke Berry
Berry was impressive with six tackles, and his pass coverage was even better. In the first half, he made a diving breakup on a deep shot for Nick Marsh that forced a punt, but his most pivotal play came in the third quarter, when he intercepted Hoover (his first pick all year) and returned it 37 yards to set up U-M's first points.
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Trending up: Secondary
One week after getting torched by Penn State, the secondary answered against a dynamic IU passing attack. Michigan held Hoover to just 8 of 18 passing for 81 yards and shut down standout receivers Marsh (two catches for 25 yards) and Charlie Becker (three catches for 32 yards). Jyaire Hill had a pair of pass breakups in the first quarter on shots for Becker, and Memphis transfer Chris Bracy had a season-high 13 tackles, including one for loss on third down in the first quarter to force an Indiana punt. Smith Snowden got home on a corner blitz on third-and-3 to open the fourth.
Trending down: Jason Beck
Michigan offensive coordinator Jason Beck walks towards the field ahead of the game between Michigan and Indiana at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026.
The offense is broken and the offensive coordinator appears to be the common denominator. He insisted on running outside the tackles, even with Michigan missing both of its starters at tackle. A Bryson Kuzdzal jet-sweep made it third-and-17 on one drive, a designed Bryce Underwood keeper made it third-and-7 on another, then a pitch to Jordan Marshall made it second-and-15, all of which ended up with punts or turnovers. The worst call of the game was the play-action boot on the goal line, which led to a sack of Carr and a chorus of boos. In a year of run game struggles, Saturday was the worst performance of the year, with 42 carries netting just 57 yards (1.4 per attempt).
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Michigan got to the 1, the 3 and 13 of IU's and only scored six points.
Michigan football schedule
On deck, a trip to Piscataway, New Jersey, for a Halloween date with Rutgers – just the second road game of the season. Then, U-M comes back home to host Michigan State on Nov. 7.
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Week 9:at Rutgers, Saturday, Oct. 31 (12:30, BTN).
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Week 10:vs Michigan State, Saturday, Nov. 7 (time and TV TBA).
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Week 11:at Oregon, Saturday, Nov. 14 (time and TV TBA).
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Week 12:vs UCLA, Saturday, Nov. 21 (time and TV TBA).
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Week 13:at Ohio State, Saturday, Nov. 28 (Noon, Fox).
Make "Hail Yes!" your go-to Wolverines podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts ( Apple , Spotify ) or watch live/on demand on YouTube .
Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tommy Carr's 1st start doesn't spark Michigan in OT loss to Indiana
