The first Big Ten football availability report for Week 8 was made available on Wednesday. The Indiana Hoosiers have a clean injury report, as zero players are listed with injury designations heading into Saturday's matchup against the Wolverines.
Conversely, Michigan has a total of 14 players listed on the injury report, with seven having already been ruled out. At this time, Indiana's team health seems to be a major advantage in this Big Ten clash.
Most notably, RB Khobie Martin is absent from the initial availability report. Martin suffered a broken forearm early in Week 1 against North Texas, and has not been able to return to the field since. His injury occurred before he even got a single carry. But it now seems that he is expected to play on Saturday in Ann Arbor.
Getting Martin back would give the Indiana running game a much-needed spark.
Khobie Martin's return would be a huge welcome sight for the Hoosier running game
Martin enjoyed a sensational redshirt freshman season in Indiana's National Championship-winning campaign. In total, the redshirt freshmen racked up 505 yards and 6 touchdowns while averaging a team-leading 6.5 yards per carry. Heading into 2026, Martin was poised for a breakout campaign with both Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black off to the NFL. But Martin's Week 1 injury put those plans on hold.
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At the time of Martin's injury, Curt Cignetti stated that they hoped he would be back at some point in the middle of the season. Now it seems that time has come––and it comes at the perfect time.
The Hoosiers need all hands on deck to put forth a solid rushing effort against the Wolverines. Michigan own's one of the nation's stingiest rushing defenses, as the Wolverines are allowing 89.7 rushing yards per game and 2.7 yards per rush to their opponents. That is good for the 13th-best rushing defense in all of college football. Should Martin suit up and join Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr. in the Hoosier backfield, it would give Michigan one more problem to worry about.
The Indiana running game has struggled to get going in recent weeks. The Hoosiers totaled a measly 65 rushing yards and 3.0 yards per carry against Nebraska, and managed just 73 rushing yards and 2.5 yards per rush in Week 7's loss to Ohio State. Indiana was able to survive an upset scare against the Cornhuskers, but couldn't get past the Buckeyes.
With Martin back in the mix, the IU running game now has another pair of fresh legs and a reliable runner to help get things going against Michigan. Kick-off between the Hoosiers and Wolverines is set for Noon ET on Saturday in Ann Arbor.
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