Indiana reaches 10 wins for first time in team history - ESPN

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The fireworks cracked and the towel-waving sellout crowd at Memorial Stadium roared to salute an Indiana team that won its 10th game for the first time in team history.

Curt Cignetti, the coach who orchestrated the most impressive first season in recent college football history, embraced his wife and granddaughter, and then his two daughters, as the fans chanted «Cig! Cig!» Indiana, a bottom-rung program that hasn't even shared a Big Ten title since 1967 and never made the College Football Playoff, improved to 10-0 with a 20-15 win against defending national champion Michigan, which came in as an underdog to the Hoosiers for the first time since 1968.

But there was no field storm Saturday, and Cignetti and many others came away feeling more relieved than triumphant.

An Indiana team that had won each of its first nine games by 14 or more points and entered Saturday leading the nation in scoring margin (419 to 123) received its first true scare, as its 17-3 halftime deficit dwindled to two points and then five in the closing minutes. But Indiana's defense carried the day, preventing Michigan from gaining a single first down on the game's decisive possession. The Hoosiers, who debuted at No. 8 in the initial College Football Playoff ranking, dragged down by a schedule that has not included a Top 25 opponent, will take a perfect record to No. 3 Ohio State on Nov. 23.

«Not many style points there, not many people banging the drum, saying Indiana ought to be rated higher… and all that good stuff, but the Indiana Hoosiers are 10-0,» Cignetti said.

He later added: «I'm glad we won. I don't like the way we played.»

Indiana appeared headed for its standard lopsided win, outgaining Michigan 228 to 94 in the