No. 18 Michigan has spent the first two weeks of the season living on the edge, and Saturday brings a matchup that should expose whether that unbeaten record is as sturdy as it looks.
The Wolverines are set to host No. 17 Iowa in Ann Arbor on Saturday, September 26 at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS, and the challenge is obvious: Iowa brings the nation’s top-ranked defense into a game where Michigan has already shown plenty of cracks on offense.
Michigan’s opener against Western Michigan ended in chaos, with Bryce Underwood delivering a Hail Mary after one final second was put back on the clock for another play. The Wolverines scored on the final snap and escaped with the win. Later, the NCAA said the officials got it wrong and failed to follow proper procedure, though the result still stands.
Underwood has yet to look like a polished passer. His only touchdown throw came on that final play against Western Michigan, and it took him three weeks to clear 200 passing yards this season, which happened against a UTEP team that was clearly overmatched. Even then, Michigan was only up 17-14 at halftime before eventually pulling away.
That slow-start pattern has shown up again and again. Against Oklahoma, Michigan’s defense carried the day. But Iowa is built to make life miserable for an offense that has averaged just 175.7 passing yards per game.
The Hawkeyes have allowed only 4.3 points per game and have not given up a rushing touchdown through three games. They’ve also been stingy across the board, giving up just 176.7 yards per game and holding opponents to a 48.7% completion rate.
That is a brutal draw for Underwood and a Michigan offense that has not looked explosive. Underwood has run effectively in the first two weeks, but Iowa has not been handing out easy yards to anyone.
The matchup also comes with a sobering note for Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham, who has a history of struggling in ranked games during his time at Utah. Against AP Top 25 opponents, Whittingham is 25-40, a mark that reflects how often his teams have come up short in big moments.
Michigan has looked a step slow against lesser competition despite the undefeated record, and this is the first time this season it does not appear to have the better team on paper. If the Wolverines get behind, there may not be a last-second rescue waiting this time.
In Other News...
Kinnick Stadium Still Strikes Fear Across The Big Ten
Kinnick Stadium has long had a reputation that travels well beyond Iowa City, and a recent round of Big Ten coach commentary only reinforced it. Curt Cignetti, Pat Fitzgerald, Greg Schiano and Luke Fickell were among the league voices pointing to Iowas home field as one of the toughest places to play in the conference, a nod to the kind of crowd and game-day edge that can unsettle even experienced road teams.
That recognition matters because the Hawkeyes are about to lean on it again with a run of notable home dates ahead. Ohio State, Wisconsin, Purdue and Nebraska are all slated to come through Kinnick, giving Iowa another chance to show why its stadium still carries so much weight in league conversations and why visiting teams tend to circle this trip on the calendar. [Read more 🡒]
Kirk Ferentz Nearly Had A Very Different Iowa Legacy
Kirk Ferentz is about to begin his 28th season guiding Iowa, a run that has made him the defining figure of the program and the winningest coach in school history. Along the way, he has picked up multiple coaching honors and built a legacy in Iowa City that has lasted far longer than most tenures ever do.
It could have played out differently in 2007, when Michigan was searching for a coach and Ferentz was viewed as a primary target by the Wolverines' athletic director. But he was not seriously pursued because of decisions made inside that search process, and Iowa kept the steady hand that has shaped its football identity ever since. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Brings A Big Strength Into A Test Hawkeye Fans Dread
Michigan has had the upper hand for years in this series, owning a 45-15-4 edge and winning the last four meetings, including a pair of Big Ten Championship Games that still loom over the matchup for Iowa fans. This time, though, the Hawkeyes are carrying something that usually travels well in September: a defense that has been among the nations best through three games, pairing a stifling front with a punting game that can tilt field position in an instant.
The wrinkle for Iowa is that Michigan arrives with its own clear strength, even if the Wolverines have struggled to move the ball through the air and sit last in the conference in passing yards per game. Both teams have leaned on the kind of team stats that can decide tight Big Ten games, from turnover margin to hidden yards, which is exactly why this one feels so familiar to Hawkeye followers. The difference this time may be whether Iowa can turn its defensive edge into the kind of result that has eluded it in this matchup for a long while. [Read more 🡒]