BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Sure, names change for players and coaches. But this is Michigan football, the winningest program in the history of the sport.

And now, after losing 20-15 at Indiana – the losingest program in college football history – on Saturday night, they are just 5-5 on the season, just months after won a national title.

They’re not even bowl eligible yet, with games against Northwestern and Ohio State remaining on their schedule after a bye week. This is a massive role reversal for these two programs. Indiana is 10-0 for the first time ever. Michigan seems lost, as Indiana usually is.

The switch has been flipped. Michigan says it’s not going to lower its standards — even though it appears that is the case. Five defeats after only losing once every three years in the regular season? It was a resounding failure, despite a close defeat on national television.

“Every year we’re going to expect the same level, and we’re going to go out there and try to beat it. We’re Michigan and we’re going to fight to get better,” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said. “The loss column is what it is. Nobody likes that. We hate it. These guys are hurting more than anyone in the world and it’s our job as coaches to pick them up and make sure they’re in the right place. Same with coaches. We will strive to be excellent.

They are far from there at the moment. They couldn’t run the ball against Indiana, gaining just 69 yards on 34 carries, an average of 2.03 yards per carry. Quarterback Davis Warren was just 16 of 32 for 137 yards and was wild on several throws, especially under pressure. They also had to settle for field goals on two trips to red zones.

“At the end of the day, you have to execute (in those red zone situations) and we didn’t execute at a high level,” Moore said. “There were some twists and turns and zone runs that we didn’t catch. There was a guy here and a guy there (that we didn’t handle) and that was really the story .We must be better.

“It starts up front (with the Indiana defense) and they have guys who hold the point really well. I thought we had some rhythm in the throwing game, but we never had any rhythm in the running game, and that was the story there. They have a very good passer, #6 (Mikail Kamara) who leads the league in pressures and sacks and he has done a good job with their scheme.

Michigan has already lost five times this year – they had only lost three times TOTAL in the last three years, and only once in the regular season – and there were a few shots there too, in 2024. They lost to Texas 31-12, to Washington 27-17, to Illinois 21- 7 and against Oregon 38-17. Before Saturday’s five-point loss, they were losing games by an average of 16.0 points per game.

What a quick start compared to the last three years, where they only lost one regular season game, 37-33 at Michigan State on October 30, 2021.

Michigan had its chances to win – lots of them. Indiana’s high-flying offense was nonexistent in the second half after taking a 17-3 lead. They had an interception and four consecutive punts on their first five possessions in the second half, going on just 15 plays for minus-6 yards. Michigan kicked field goals to make the score 17-9, then scored a touchdown and scored two to tie the game with 9:35 left, but the conversion failed. Indiana kicked a late field goal to ice it.

“I thought (Michigan’s defense) played really well in the second half, did an incredible job, and the fight and the effort was there,” Moore said. “That (Indiana) offense was averaging like 40 points a game, and holding them to 20 points was huge. We only gave them (18) yards in the second half. That was really good to see.”

It’s a strange world when the best and worst in college football history have switched roles for a season. Indiana was a 14.5 point favorite in this game, which was an insult to Michigan’s players. This is the first time the Hoosiers have been favored against the Wolverines in 42 games dating back to 1968.

But now here comes little old Indiana, at 10-0 overall and 7-0 in the Big Ten. They are fighting for a Big Ten title and a spot in the new 12-team College Football Playoff.

Michigan is 5-5 and just hoping to be bowl eligible. To a man, Moore and his Michigan players say that matters. They do not escape, despite the five defeats, the first time this has happened since 2017.

“Yes, 100 percent we want to have time to play another game together,” Moore said. “(Being bowl eligible) is a motivator, but it’s just about going out there and getting a win.”