The Big Ten opener between Michigan and Iowa carries one simple consequence: one of these 3-0 teams is leaving Saturday with its first loss.
Both programs arrive with matching records, but the path here has looked a little different. Michigan handled Oklahoma 17-10 in Week 2, while Iowa edged Iowa State 16-13.
Each team also picked up a convincing Week 3 win over an opponent that was outmatched. Now the schedule tightens, and the first conference test comes with the undefeated streak on the line.
Michigan’s case starts with Bryce Underwood, who has been the center of everything the Wolverines want to do on offense. Through three games, he has completed 62.5% of his passes for 504 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He’s also done damage on the ground, leading the team with 156 rushing yards and two scores.
Even with that production, there’s skepticism about how far Michigan’s early results can really take them. The Western Michigan game still lingers in that view, and the argument here is that the Wolverines have been priced like a stronger team than they’ve shown.
The numbers back up the concern on offense. Michigan is 74th nationally in yards per play at 5.4 per snap.
That’s a rough place to be heading into a matchup with an Iowa defense that has been stingy all season. The Hawkeyes rank second in yards per play allowed, giving up just 3.3 yards per snap.
That sets up the kind of game Iowa tends to welcome: tight, physical, and low on easy answers. The pick here is to trust the defense and take the points off the board entirely. Keep the points, and back Iowa on the moneyline.
In Other News...
Michigan Controversy Resurfaces As Opposing Coach Reframes Western Michigan
Spencer Danielson gave Western Michigan a little more respect than the record shows this week, calling the Broncos an undefeated team while pointing back to the game against Michigan that still lingers in the background. It was an odd way to frame a 2-1 start, but it captured how much the final moments of that matchup continue to shape the way outsiders talk about the Broncos.
The controversy came from officials adding one second back to the clock, which allowed a final play to happen in a game the FBS Oversight Committee later said should not have reached that point. Even so, the result remains on the books, and now Boise State and Western Michigan are set to meet Saturday, Sept. 23, with both teams still sitting outside the top 25 and plenty of interest around how that old dispute gets folded into a fresh gameweek. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Just Took A Hit Michigan Fans Will Notice
Penn State is heading into its Big Ten stretch missing one of the more productive pieces of its passing game, a development Michigan fans will track closely as the conference race tightens. Koby Howard will be sidelined for an extended period after suffering an injury in a recent game, coach Matt Campbell said, and the setback lands at an especially awkward time for a team trying to keep its offense moving against better defenses.
Howard had become a central part of the attack this season, leading the team in both receptions and receiving yards. Without him, Penn State will have to lean more on the rest of its receiver group, with Chase Sowell and Benjamin Brahmer among the names expected to absorb more of the load as the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Just Added Another Intriguing Name To Its Future O-Line Push
Michigans future offensive line push got another boost with a major scholarship offer to William Crawford, an offensive lineman from St. Johns College High School in Washington, D.C. Crawford has started to draw attention from top college programs thanks to a blend of size, strength, mobility and the kind of versatility that makes linemen especially valuable in todays game.
For Michigan, the appeal is obvious. The Wolverines have been aggressive about identifying high-upside prospects who can develop into real pieces up front, and Crawford fits that mold as a player who could grow into a significant contributor down the line. With multiple major programs now in the mix, his recruitment should remain one worth tracking closely as Michigan keeps building for the future. [Read more 🡒]