Iowa Preview

Clonesconfidental

Time: 8:00 PM
Location: Kinnick Stadium
TV: ABC
Weather: 46 and no rain
Line:  Michigan -21.5

Michigan hasn't won in Kinnick Stadium since 2005.   They have dropped 3 straight on the road in this series.  It must be the pink visitors locker rooms.

EPSN predicts that Michigan has a 92% of winning this game.  Michigan is coming off a home blowout win over Maryland 59-3, Iowa lost on the road to Penn State 41-14.  Michigan is 9-0 and Iowa is 5-4 with 3 out of the 4 losses coming in Big Ten play. 

There is no overnight fix here," Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz told reporters. "The cavalry is not coming and we're going to play with the guys we have and try to find answers."

#1 Iowa beat a #2 Michigan 12-10 in 1985, the Wolverines QB was Jim Harbaugh.  
I'm guessing he hasn't forgotten that game. 


Tale of the Tape:

Iowa Offense vs. Michigan D = Michigan
Michigan Offense vs. Iowa D = Michigan
Coaching = Michigan
Momentum = Michigan
Intangibles = Iowa


This match-up favors Michigan at pretty much every position group.   Iowa is struggling and Michigan has it's sights on OSU and getting into the Big Ten Championship game.   It will be pretty cold in the 40's on Saturday night and Iowa will be looking to save it's season by beating the #1 team in the Big Ten.   This is only the second time this season, that Michigan has left the state to play a football game.

Yell Play John O'Korn in corn country if............

• Michigan comes ready to play and puts Iowa away early
• Wilton continues to play very well and clean
• Michigan gets over 200 yards on the ground
• Smith goes over 100 yards
• Butt goes over 100 yards
• Michigan D keeps Iowa under 10 points

Yell, Is this Michigan's House of Horrors? if...........

• Michigan is turning the ball over in cold weather
• Iowa is hitting it's tight ends on 3rd downs for 1st downs
• Iowa is running the ball on the outside of Michigan's defense
• Iowa is getting TD's instead of field goals

Iowa hasn't scored more then 14 points against these defenses:  Rutgers, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Penn State.   Michigan's defense is comparable to Wisconsin but much better then the rest of those teams.   On the other side of the ball, Michigan has outscored its opponents 210-34 over the last 4 games.

This game has been circled on the schedule all year for the Wolverines.  Jimmy said, they have been practicing well and should be ready for the test in Iowa City.   As we have seen over the years, this is not an easy place to play.    Though, they have lost 3 times at home this year (NDSU, NW and Wisconsin). 

This will be an old fashion Big Ten game.  Both teams want to be physical, run the ball and use the tight ends.  Michigan is clearly better team but so was Ohio State when they visited Happy Valley.   Weird things can happen on the road on Saturday night.    Michigan will need to score touchdowns and can't let Iowa get too confident on offense.   Iowa will have over coached their team this week hoping for a big upset.   Michigan needs to jump on them early and take away their will to win.   I like the run/pass game to confuse the Iowa defense, Wilton will need to make sure not to test Detroit's Desmond King too often.  Let us not forget that Iowa picked QB CJ Bethard over Jake Rudock last year, which allowed him to come to Michigan.

Michigan will play well but will give up a few points.   I hope the defense plays like they did earlier in the year then against MSU.   I still have nightmares from past Michigan road performances.   This is a different team, with a great coach that will have his team prepared for this road test.

Michigan 38 Iowa 10