Michigan gets another shot at a ranked opponent this Saturday, and the setup points to the kind of game that can get ugly in a hurry. The Wolverines are home for the fourth straight week, coming off a 17-10 win over Oklahoma in Week 2, and now they draw 3-0 Iowa in a Top 25 matchup.
On paper, this has all the ingredients of a rock fight. Iowa brings the No. 1 defense in the country into the Big House, while Michigan checks in with the No. 10 total defense nationally. If points are scarce, the team that handles the little things better is going to have the edge.
That starts with the run game. Michigan has not been efficient on the ground so far, sitting 91st nationally with just over 147 rushing yards per game.
Iowa has rolled up 268 rushing yards per game, good for 10th in the nation, but the Hawkeyes have not faced the same level of competition and this will be their toughest test to date. There is also uncertainty around star running back Kamari Moulton, who was out last week and whose status is unknown.
For Michigan, the formula is pretty clear: get Jordan Marshall going, even with him banged up, and lean on Savion Hiter as well. Fans want to see Bryce Underwood throw it around, but Michigan cannot become one-dimensional against a defense like this. The Wolverines have to rediscover some balance.
Ball security is the other big issue. Michigan is minus-2 in turnover margin, which ranks 106th nationally, while Iowa sits at plus-3.
Underwood has only one interception this season, so the bigger concern has been the ball hitting the turf. He has five fumbles in the first nine quarters, and against UTEP, Savion Hiter lost a fumble while Michigan recovered Jordan Marshall’s.
Iowa will be hunting for takeaways, and Michigan cannot afford to help the Hawkeyes with mistakes. That includes penalties, too. Kyle Whittingham says Michigan has been working on protecting the ball every day, and Saturday will show whether that work sticks.
Third down could decide plenty here. If Michigan runs the ball well enough to stay ahead of the chains, Bryce Underwood won’t be forced into long-yardage situations against that Iowa defense. The Wolverines are converting over 44% of their third downs this season, and in a game like this, staying in manageable situations matters as much as anything.
Field position should be a major factor as well. In a low-scoring game, every yard counts, and the team that wins that battle will put itself in a much better spot.
Michigan also wants to wear Iowa down as the game goes on. Whittingham has said before that the longer games go, the more Jordan Marshall and even Savion Hiter can take a toll on the other side.
That leads to the final piece: make Hank Brown beat you. Iowa wants to shorten games with defense and a physical run game, but Michigan can force the Hawkeyes away from that comfort zone.
Brown is an inexperienced quarterback, and Saturday will be his first road start, even if it comes in the Big House. If Kamari Moulton is unavailable, expect Jay Hill to crowd the box and make Iowa throw.
Tony Diaz is Brown’s go-to playmaker and leads the team, and Diaz has already provided Michigan with bulletin board material. That only adds to the challenge for Brown in his first road start, and Michigan has a chance to make things uncomfortable early.
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Fano is the younger brother of Spencer Fano, a former Michigan player who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns, which only adds to the intrigue as recruiting chatter continues to swing in Michigans favor. Experts around the recruitment have given the Wolverines a strong shot at landing him, and if that trend holds, it would be another significant win for a program that keeps stacking up young tackle talent before it ever becomes a roster need. [Read more 🡒]