No one will accuse Northwestern or Indiana of being among the Big Ten favorites entering this season.Michigan and Iowa, however, were.
The Wolverines and Hawkeyes are in trouble on this day, however. Michigan (2-2 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) trails Northwestern 16-7 at halftime. In that game, the Wildcats (you know, the team that lost to Duke) have already gone over 300 yards in total offense. QB C.J. Bacher hasn't been wonderfully accurate, hitting 15 of 26 passes with an interception. However, he's already thrown for 213 yards and run for 23 more. Northwestern's spread offense is causing Michigan fits. Omar Conteh, filling in for injured feature back Tyrell Sutton, ran for 72 yards and a touchdown in the first half.
Meanwhile, Michigan's offense is struggling, and kicker Jason Gingell missed a chip-shot field goal on Michigan's last offensive series of the first half. Mike Hart has been held to less than three yards per rush, and freshman QB Ryan Mallett, who took over after Chad Henne led Michigan to an opening drive touchdown, is just 5-for-11 for 62 yards.
(UPDATE: Henne has started the second half for Michigan. Not sure if this is going to be permanent or if Mallett will play again this afternoon.)
Iowa needed a 33-yard touchdown pass by Jake Christensen on the final play of the first half to get on the board against Indiana. The Hoosiers lead 21-7 thanks to emerging star QB Kellen Lewis, who has already thrown for 198 yards. Lewis also has a 70-yard fumble return touchdown. On that play, Lewis hit Josiah Sears for a nine-yard pass, but Sears fumbled. Lewis picked it up and ran for the rather unusual offensive touchdown.
Outside of that freak play, the stats are virtually even at halftime. Both teams are struggling to run the ball, but Indiana has a bit of an edge because, unlike Wisconsin, the Hoosiers are okay throwing the ball with some regularity. Lewis has been sharp so far and he will need to remain that way, because Indiana's defense is simply not strong enough to hold Iowa down all day.
