Michigan's Jim Harbaugh: No Team I Love More Than This Team After Big Ten Title Win
Dec 5, 2021
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh celebrates with his team after the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game against Iowa, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, in Indianapolis. Michigan won 42-3. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Jim Harbaugh has reached some incredible heights as a head coach, but none top what he accomplished over the last two weekends.
"I love this team," Harbaugh told reporters after Michigan's Big Ten Championship Game win over Iowa. "There's no team I love more than this team. I think back to the (University of San Diego) team we had in 2005 and 2006, and the Stanford team in 2009 and 2010. And the 49ers team in '11, '12 and '13."
Michigan dismantled Iowa in a 42-3 romp to win Harbaugh's first conference championship at his alma mater, a week after the coach earned his first triumph over rival Ohio State. The Wolverines are set to be selected later Sunday to their first College Football Playoff, perhaps as the No. 1 seed.
While Harbaugh has been nothing short of a success at every stop on his coaching journey, his tenure at Michigan has been fraught at times. His teams consistently came up short in big games, particularly against Ohio State, and he entered 2021 arguably on the hot seat after an ugly 2-4 campaign a year ago.
"One of the first things I thought of after we won was Coach Harbaugh," quarterback Cade McNamara told reporters. "That happened against Ohio State, that happened here again. After last season, it was so tough, not just for us players but for Coach Harbaugh as well, and we know that there's not one person who cares about Michigan more than Coach Harbaugh.
"This team, we came together. We want to win for Coach Harbaugh too, and we're just so happy that we were able to give him back that joy because he deserves it."
Harbaugh is 61-23 over his seven seasons at Michigan and 119-50 overall as a college head coach. He was also 44-19-1 during his four-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers, never posting a losing season and reaching the conference championship game three times.
Pushed to the Brink in 2021, Jim Harbaugh Finally Delivers Michigan a CFP Trip
Dec 5, 2021
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh reacts with his players on the sideline during the second half of the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game against Iowa, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
INDIANAPOLIS — If Jim Harbaugh hadn't walked into Lucas Oil Stadium on this night, a different story may already have been written. Without a trip to the Big Ten Championship Game in 2021, the Michigan Wolverines' seventh-year head coach might not have received an eighth.
That would've been a logical reality. Harbaugh had resuscitated a middling program, but he'd fallen well short of expectations. He'd consistently lost to rivals. He'd struggled against top teams. Michigan had basically only made a legitimate run at a Big Ten crown in 2016.
But here he stood.
One week after summiting the Ohio State-sized mountain, Harbaugh roamed the sideline for the most important game of his tenure. In a city he once called home, the once-prodigal, soon-beleaguered, now-triumphant coach carved a long-awaited, long-expected place in Michigan history.
At long last, the Harbaugh-led Wolverines are Big Ten champions.
Harbaugh's team overpowered Iowa 42-3 for the conference crown, winning the program's first Big Ten title in 17 years and sealing a spot in the College Football Playoff.
It took seven years for the Wolverines to reach this pinnacle, one their fans anticipated would arrive much earlier. That support had grown weary of constant disappointment, leaving Harbaugh's job security in a tenuous place entering the 2021 season.
Although he signed a contract extension in January, that signature truthfully didn't protect his future.
The updated pact reduced Harbaugh's buyout to $4 million. While that's not a pittance, it's a remarkably low number that would have allowed Michigan to move on from Harbaugh without hesitation.
This was, in all sincerity, a make-or-break season.
True, the decision wouldn't have been painless for Michigan's leadership. In a vacuum, Harbaugh's 49-22 record through 2020 was adequate—especially when you consider his predecessors, Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke, posted a combined 46-42 mark. Be careful what you wish for because the grass clearly isn't always greener on the other side of the coaching fence.
Conversely, Harbaugh hadn't accomplished what he was hired to do. And in late October, a trip to Michigan State revived the demons that have haunted his regime.
After cruising to a 7-0 record to begin 2021, the Wolverines wasted a 16-point lead in a devastating loss. Harbaugh fell to a dismal 3-4 against MSU and 2-9 on the road against Top 25 teams, and Ohio State still awaited in November.
The familiar narrative—a hot start shattered in late defeats—loomed once again. But it faded on a brisk day in Ann Arbor before disappearing altogether in Indianapolis.
Hassan Haskins gashed Ohio State's defense in a decisive 42-27 victory, rushing for 169 yards and five touchdowns. Michigan picked up its first victory over the Buckeyes in Harbaugh's reign, ending an eight-game skid overall in the series.
The immense joy of toppling a bitter rival could've vanished if Michigan faltered at Lucas Oil. Given the frustration of Harbaugh's tenure, perhaps it was only fitting for Iowa to strip away that happiness after U-M toppled Ohio State.
That never came close to happening, though.
Two first-quarter touchdowns of 65-plus yards propelled the Wolverines to a rapid 14-0 lead, and Haskins scored twice more. They contained a limited Iowa offense all night, outgaining the Hawkeyes 461-279 and running away with the Big Ten title.
Most importantly, the dominant night triggered Michigan's coveted celebration as the playoff-bound kings of the Big Ten.
Only 12 months ago, 2021 seemed it could be Harbaugh's last ride.
But as confetti fluttered past his name on the Indianapolis Colts' ring of honor, this victory ensured Harbaugh's story in Ann Arbor is nowhere close to finished.
No. 2 Michigan Cruises to 42-3 Win over No. 13 Iowa to Earn 2021 Big Ten Championship
Dec 5, 2021
Michigan running back Blake Corum (2) scores on a 67-yard touchdown run during the first half of the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game against Iowa, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
The No. 2 Michigan football team is headed to the College Football Playoff.
The Wolverines defeated No. 13 Iowa 42-3 in the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday from Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium. With the win, the Wolverines all but assured themselves of a CFP spot.
As usual, a strong running game and overwhelming defense led Michigan to victory.
The Wolverines rushed for 211 yards and four touchdowns, with Blake Corum's 67-yard scamper giving his team an early 6-0 edge.
Blake Corum with the speed but how about J.J. McCarthy as the lead blocker 🤯⚡️@UMichFootball takes the 7-0 lead over Iowa in the Big Ten Champ Game! pic.twitter.com/GDjzmhdeeL
However, it was a running back's pass that turned out to be the play of the game, as Donovan Edwards threw a beautiful ball for a 75-yard touchdown to Roman Wilson in the second quarter.
Iowa couldn't get much going on the ground or through the air, and Michigan ended up out-gaining the Hawkeyes 461-279. The Hawkeyes made a quarterback change midgame from Spencer Petras to Alex Padilla, but the Wolverines defense rendered that switch irrelevant.
Erick All later added a slick five-yard catch for Michigan's penultimate touchdown.
Iowa TE Sam LaPorta: 6 catches, 62 receiving yards
Hustle and Heart Lead Michigan to CFP
One play that didn't end up in the box score perfectly encapsulates the Wolverines' game as well as their season.
The record shows that Corum ran for a 67-yard touchdown to give Michigan a 6-0 first-quarter lead.
Blake Corum with the speed but how about J.J. McCarthy as the lead blocker 🤯⚡️@UMichFootball takes the 7-0 lead over Iowa in the Big Ten Champ Game! pic.twitter.com/GDjzmhdeeL
It was an incredible effort for a running back playing through a high-ankle sprain and limited with his snaps because of it.
However, that run wasn't even the best moment of the play. Rather, it was quarterback J.J. McCarthy flying down the sidelines to help provide blocking assistance for his teammate en route to the score.
His effort did not go unnoticed:
J.J. McCarthy damn near beat Blake Corum to the end zone there.
That encapsulates the ethos of this team. The Wolverines fight hard and for each other. They are fast. They are tough. They are selfless. They are a team—one that is going to be a serious problem for its CFP opponent.
Not only that, but Michigan is a team littered with incredible individual talents. Aidan Hutchinson might be the No. 1 overall NFL draft pick next spring, and fellow edge-rusher David Ojabo might join him in the first round.
The offensive line is a force to be reckoned with, so much so that football legend John Madden reached out to head coach Jim Harbaugh to tell him as much after the win over Ohio State:
Jim Harbaugh says he got a text from John Madden after the Ohio State game.
"This is as good of an offensive line performance as he's seen," Harbaugh said of the text.
"I texted that to Sherrone and told him to keep that on his phone forever."
They have a formidable one-two punch in the running game with Haskins and Corum, and everything works in sync to form one hell of a team.
Alabama may be the clear championship favorite after dismantling No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, but Michigan is a special team that won't go away easily.
Iowa's Once-Promising Season Ends With Thud, But Hawkeyes Should Keep Chins Up
A once-promising season with College Football Playoff hopes following a 6-0 start crashed and burned down the stretch, capped by Saturday's ugly 39-point defeat.
One can look at Iowa's 13-game season from two perspectives.
On the pessimistic side, the Hawkeyes went just 4-3 in their final seven games. Their three losses were by a combined 76 points to Michigan, Purdue and Wisconsin. Iowa scored just 17 points in those games.
Iowa's offense simply wasn't explosive enough this year. The Hawkeyes have a stout running game led by Tyler Goodson, but they didn't have the big-play threats needed to go blow-for-blow with teams that found offensive success against them.
The defense notably wilted at inopportune times as well. It all reached its nadir on Saturday, as Iowa allowed scoring plays of 67 and 75 yards in the first quarter en route to giving up 461 yards on the game.
On the optimistic side, Iowa had a 10-win season and made the conference championship game. Sure, the Big Ten West was a weak division this year, so much so that Iowa almost won its group by default. However, plenty of Big Ten teams would love to have 10-plus wins and make the conference title game, and the Hawkeyes did just that.
Credit Iowa for not folding after a two-game losing skid dropped the Hawkeyes out of the CFP picture entirely. Following the Purdue and Wisconsin defeats, Iowa responded with four straight wins. Granted, none of them came too easily, as three came by one-possession scores.
Regardless, Iowa showed fight down the stretch to make the conference championship game, and the Hawkeyes can hold their heads high knowing they gave it their all when other teams could have fallen apart entirely in that spot.
That doesn't make Saturday's result any easier, and it's clear that Iowa is a clear cut below the Big Ten elite of Michigan and Ohio State. The Wolverines were simply too talented on both sides of the ball, and that ended up being the difference.
Still, the bigger picture paints a rosier picture for Iowa overall. Other teams languish year after year and struggle to win more than a handful of games. Iowa has the luxury of being in the mix and earned a reputation of being a giant killer.
That's something Iowa can always hang its hat on, even if painful losses like the one to Michigan help cloud the broader truth about the program.
What's Next?
While it won't be official until Sunday, Michigan will be in the four-team College Football Playoff field with Alabama, Georgia and Cincinnati. The only thing left to determine at this point is the seeding.
The Wolverines' win also means that Ohio State will play Utah in the Rose Bowl.
Iowa was headed to the Rose Bowl with a win, but the Hawkeyes will head to another to-be-determined bowl following the loss.
Report: Kirk Ferentz Told Iowa Players He Plans to Stay 'Multiple Years' Past 2022
Dec 4, 2021
LINCOLN, NE - NOVEMBER 26: Head coach Kirk Ferentz of the Iowa Hawkeyes watches action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the second half at Memorial Stadium on November 26, 2021 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz reportedly told his players in a team meeting Friday night that he plans to return for the 2022 season and beyond, per Scott Dochterman of The Athletic.
Ferentz is on a contract that runs through the 2025 campaign.
The news comes amid several significant head coaching searches in college football. Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma for USC, and Brian Kelly left Notre Dame for LSU.
There were also "whispers" that the 2021 season would be Ferentz's final one in Iowa, per 247Sports. However, he made it clear two weeks ago that he hoped to remain head coach of the Hawkeyes for a long time.
“I was hoping to be [here] for a while,” Ferentz said, per 247Sports. “That's been my plan for about 23 years now. Just trying to make it to the next step, that's kind of what I've been thinking about. I think I made it to this step.”
Ferentz led Iowa to a 10-2 record this season. The Hawkeyes clinched a spot in the Big Ten Championship game versus Michigan and the team was ranked as high as No. 2 in the AP Top 25 poll this year.
The 66-year-old has been head coach at Iowa since 1999, joining the team after a stint with the Baltimore Ravens. In his 23 seasons at the helm, he is 178-108 and 9-8 in bowl games.
Ferentz has also led Iowa to two Big Ten titles in 2002 and 2004 and an appearance in the 2015 Big Ten title game.
Report: OSU's Quinn Ewers, Former 5-Star QB Recruit, Entering Transfer Portal
Dec 4, 2021
COLUMBUS, OH - AUGUST 18: Ohio State Buckeyes #3 Quinn Ewers during fall camp at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in Columbus, Ohio on August 18, 2021. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Ohio State quarterback Quinn Ewers, who 247Sports ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect in the high school class of 2021, will enter the NCAA transfer portal.
Per Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports, Ewers has informed OSU of his intentions.
The former Southlake Carroll (Texas) High School star is considering a return home for his next college stop, with Texas, Texas Tech and Texas A&M among the options, per Thamel.
Ewers reclassified from the class of 2022 to 2021 and arrived at OSU in August with training camp well underway. He only took two snaps for the Buckeyes as redshirt freshman C.J. Stroud took the offense's reins and starred with 38 touchdowns and 3,862 passing yards.
The 6'2", 200-pound Ewers shouldn't have a shortage of suitors. Ewers was highly touted coming out of college, with 247Sports' Gabe Brooks comparing him to ex-NFL quarterback Philip Rivers and offering this scouting report.
Good height with a plus frame. Pro-style QB with athleticism and mobility that qualify for a dual-threat label. Elite improvisational QB who can extend plays and remain accurate on the move. Throws with a smooth, easy delivery and varies arm angles as needed. Impressive velocity and spin rate really show on routes over the middle and down the seams. Field-stretching vertical arm strength to consistently hit big plays over the top. Also shows encouraging touch on timing patterns and downfield routes that require it.
Good runner by design or scramble. Understands how to protect himself as a runner and minimize shots. Shows encouraging pocket presence and awareness. Senses pressure and knows how to react to it. Also willing to stand and deliver under duress and will take a big shot if it means hanging in there to make the necessary throw. Occasionally will take risks, but that also is part of what makes him so good. Release quickness is good in general but could still quicken a bit at times. Elite QB prospect at the top of the 2022 cycle, at his position and across the board. Future impact high-major starter with long-term potential to be taken high in the NFL Draft.
Ewers had 29 offers, per 247Sports, including ones from Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma and USC. In the end, Ewers chose Ohio State, although he appears to be one-and-done there.
Ewers wouldn't be the first college quarterback to transfer and find great success elsewhere if he does end up blossoming at his next location. Other examples in recent memory include Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield, who both transferred to Oklahoma and became No. 1 picks in the NFL draft.
A potential pro career is still a ways off for Ewers, but the talented signal-caller should have plenty of options to choose his next destination as he searches for a new home.
Michigan vs. Iowa: TV, Live Stream Info, Preview for Big Ten Championship 2021
Dec 3, 2021
Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson rushers in Maryland during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, in College Park, Md. Michigan won 59-18. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
The Michigan Wolverines have to refocus after earning the biggest win in the Jim Harbaugh era to secure their first College Football Playoff berth.
Michigan got into the Big Ten Championship Game with its first win over the Ohio State Buckeyes during Harbaugh's tenure. The Wolverines shot up to No. 2 in the College Football Playoff rankings Tuesday. A win over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday would place them into one of the four playoff positions.
The Iowa Hawkeyes are cast in the spoiler role in Indianapolis. Kirk Ferentz's squad is playing for a berth in the Rose Bowl.
Iowa's offensive limitations may cost it a trip to California on New Year's Day. Instead, the Hawkeyes might have to settle for a trip to Florida for the Citrus Bowl or Outback Bowl with a loss.
Michigan vs. Iowa Information
Date: Saturday, December 4
Start Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
Live Stream: Fox Sports app and FoxSports.com.
Preview
Michigan carries a distinct advantage on offense.
The Wolverines average 451.2 total yards and 37.3 points per game. Both totals are significantly higher than Iowa's 299.1 total yards and 25.7 points per contest.
Michigan's offense hit its stride in the past two games, as it put up 59 points on the Maryland Terrapins and scored 42 points in the rivalry clash with Ohio State. The Wolverines controlled the victory over the Buckeyes through their dominant ground game. Hassan Haskins was responsible for five touchdowns. Haskins ran for at least 150 yards in three of the past four games.
Michigan has a near-perfect balance in its offense. It averages 226.3 passing yards and 224.9 rushing yards per game.
Quarterback Cade McNamara has done enough in the passing game for the Wolverines to have balance, completing at least 65 percent of his passes in his past three contests. He also has only one interception in the past month.
If McNamara remains efficient, Michigan should move the ball with ease against the Iowa defense.
The Wolverines hold the edge at quarterback because McNamara has been in the fold all season. Iowa has switched between Spencer Petras and Alex Padilla. Petras took over for Padilla in the second half of the Week 13 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers, leading the Hawkeyes on a comeback. But he has not been effective enough all season.
Petras has nine touchdown passes and six interceptions. Four of his picks came in a loss to the Purdue Boilermakers. Purdue and the Wisconsin Badgers combined to sack Petras on nine occasions. Michigan has the potential to put up similar numbers through Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo.
Hutchinson and Ojabo wreaked havoc on the Ohio State offensive line Saturday, and they could pave a similar path to success versus Iowa. The heavy push from Michigan's defensive line could also take Tyler Goodson out of the equation. Goodson is a 1,000-yard rusher, but he recorded two of his lowest rushing-yard totals against Purdue and Wisconsin.
If Michigan produces a strong defensive showing, like it had against Ohio State, it should beat Iowa and land in the playoff as the Big Ten champion.
Michigan to Wear Jersey Patch Honoring Oxford HS's Tate Myre For Big Ten Title Game
Dec 3, 2021
COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 20: The Michigan Wolverines logo on a flag during the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium on November 20, 2021 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
The Michigan Wolverines football team announced that it will wear uniforms with a special patch during Saturday's Big Ten championship game to honor the victims of the shooting at Oxford High School.
The patches read "TM" and "42" to honor Tate Myre, who was a football player for Oxford and one of four students who were killed in the shooting.
The patch will be in the shape of Oxford's "Block O," which Michigan said is "meant to honor all victims, survivors and community members." Four blue hearts will also be displayed on the patch to honor the victims: Hana St. Juliana, Madisyn Baldwin, Justin Shilling and Myre.
On Wednesday, 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley was charged on 24 counts, including first-degree murder, attempted murder and terrorism causing death, per the Associated Press. Crumbley is being charged as an adult.
A change.org petition was created on Wednesday to rename the football stadium at Oxford High School after Myre. The person who created the petition wrote that Myre was "killed in an attempt to disarm the shooter," and he "put his life in danger to try and help the thousands of other students."
Myre, a member of the class of 2023, played running back and linebacker for Oxford. The team wrote about him on Twitter, saying, "Tate was on varsity since his freshman year and was an honor student. Tate was a great young man with a bright future and beloved by all."
No. 2 Michigan (11-1) will face No. 13 Iowa (10-2) in Saturday's conference championship game. A win would secure a spot in the College Football Playoff for the Wolverines.
Adrian Martinez to Transfer from Nebraska; Is School's All-Time Total Offense Leader
Dec 2, 2021
MADISON, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 20: Adrian Martinez #2 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers looks to pass the ball against the Wisconsin Badgers in the first half at Camp Randall Stadium on November 20, 2021 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Adrian Martinez announced Thursday he's transferring from Nebraska.
Martinez leaves the Cornhuskers after having thrown for 8,495 yards and 45 touchdowns and run for 2,288 yards and 35 scores. No player in program history accounted for more yards (10,772) than the California native.
His transfer could be mutually beneficial for both parties.
Martinez can ride off into the sunset with a big year at another school a la Russell Wilson or Gardner Minshew. He's probably achieved all he can in Lincoln.
The 6'2" signal-caller should have some suitors in the Power Five given his dual-threat abilities and starting experience.
Minshew is a prime example of how transferring and finding the right fit can work wonders. He followed two largely middling years at East Carolina with a monster season at Washington State in 2018 that resulted in winning the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year.
Maybe a change of scenery will help Martinez raise his ceiling.
The Cornhuskers, meanwhile, can continue wiping the slate clean after having already fired offensive coordinator Matt Lubick and three other offensive assistants.
Oklahoma's Spencer Rattler, UCF's Dillon Gabriel, Fresno State's Jake Haener and LSU's Myles Brennan have already entered the transfer portal. Even if head coach Scott Frost is unable to land one of the four, there will inevitably be more quarterbacks looking to move as the offseason unfolds.
Frost might also expect big things from Logan Smothers.
Smothers was the No. 14 dual-threat quarterback in the 2020 recruiting class in 247Sports' composite rankings. The Alabama native went 16-of-22 for 198 yards and one interception and ran for 64 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries in his lone start, a 28-21 loss to Iowa on Nov. 26.
Logan Smothers is TOUGH 😤
He takes a big hit, gets the throw off, and comes up with a big-time play for @HuskerFBNation 💪 pic.twitter.com/J6lNDe5u2O
Having already restructured his contract and reshuffled his staff, Frost is likely to be sitting on the hot seat in 2022 after Nebraska finished 3-9. Eventually, being a school legend doesn't matter if a coach isn't delivering results.
Whether it's leaning on Smothers or dipping into the transfer portal, identifying the right starting quarterback to succeed Martinez will go a long way toward turning Frost's tenure around.
Ohio State's C.J. Stroud Wins Big Ten Offensive Player, Freshman of the Year Awards
Dec 1, 2021
Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud scrambles during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Michigan, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
With big shoes to fill as Justin Fields' replacement, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud made history Wednesday.
Stroud became the first Big Ten player ever to win the conference's Offensive Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Quarterback of the Year awards in the same season:
Stroud originally committed to Ohio State in December 2019. He was a highly regarded prospect in the 2020 recruiting class. 247Sports composite rankings had him as a 4-star prospect and the No. 42 overall player with offers from Georgia, Michigan and Baylor, among others.
Fields set an incredibly high bar for the Buckeyes at quarterback. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2019 after throwing for 3,273 yards, running for 484 yards and accounting for 51 total touchdowns.
In the six-game 2020 season, Fields completed 70.2 percent of his pass attempts for 2,100 yards and 22 touchdowns. The Buckeyes made the College Football Playoff in both years with him starting under center.
Stroud had no problems living up to the standard set by his predecessor. The California native started 11 games, ranking fifth in the nation in passing touchdowns (38), sixth in completion percentage (70.9) and seventh in passing yards (3,862).
Ohio State's offense leads the nation in scoring with 45.5 points per game. It didn't score fewer than 26 points in any of its 12 games during the regular season.
The Buckeyes did miss out on the Big Ten Championship Game thanks to Saturday's 42-27 loss to Michigan and have dropped to No. 7 in the latest playoff rankings, but they have already won at least 10 games for the 15th time in the past 17 seasons (only eight games played total in 2020 amid COVID-19 pandemic).
Big Ten Championship 2021: Michigan vs. Iowa TV Info, Odds, Predictions
Dec 1, 2021
Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (97) rushes Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
The Michigan Wolverines are favored to extend the Big Ten East's dominance in the Big Ten Championship Game.
All of the conference title game winners have come from the Big Ten East since the league shifted to the East-West format in 2014.
The Ohio State Buckeyes have five conference titles in that span. The Michigan State Spartans and Penn State Nittany Lions each have one championship.
Michigan has never played in the Big Ten Championship Game because it has been stuck behind the three other premier programs in its division.
The Iowa Hawkeyes are making their second appearance in Indianapolis. Saturday's performance could mirror the 13-point output from Kirk Ferentz's side in 2015.
Iowa has struggled to produce a consistent offensive product at parts of the season, and it is up against a tough challenge versus Michigan's defense.
Money Line: Michigan (-450; bet $450 to win $100); Iowa (+340; bet $100 to win $340)
Predictions
Michigan 34, Iowa 10
MVP: Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan
Four of the seven Big Ten Championship Games between the East and West champions were decided by 10 or more points.
All four of those victories were earned by Ohio State and its tremendous pipeline of offensive talent.
Michigan can extend that trend on Saturday but with a new wrinkle. The Wolverines defense could be the story in Indianapolis.
Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson emerged as a potential Heisman Trophy candidate after the win over Ohio State.
The lack of clear-cut Heisman favorites across the FBS right now opens the door for someone like Hutchinson to be voted as the award's winner.
Hutchinson is the leader of a Michigan defense that allowed 17.2 points and 196.3 passing yards per game in the regular season.
Hutchinson, who has 13 sacks, could be a menace to the Iowa offensive line. Hawkeyes quarterbacks suffered 30 sacks this season.
If Michigan wins the interior battle on defense, it could set the tone for offensive success in the trenches through running backs Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum.
The Wolverines eclipsed the 30-point mark in each of their three games against Big Ten West opposition. They beat the Wisconsin Badgers and Northwestern Wildcats by double figures. Michigan won the rushing yards battle by a 610-283 margin in those three victories.
Iowa struggled against some of the best teams on its schedule. The Hawkeyes only beat Penn State by three points and then lost consecutive games to the Purdue Boilermakers and Wisconsin. Iowa even stumbled a bit in a 17-12 win over Northwestern.
Iowa has had one instance of a quarterback throwing for more than 200 yards since the October 9 win over Penn State.
If the Hawkeyes fail to generate yards and first downs on the ground, they could struggle to keep up with Michigan through the air.
Spencer Petras performed well in a relief role in the win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers, but he is facing a different animal in the Michigan pass rush.
Petras was picked off four times and sacked on four occasions in the loss to Purdue. He failed to eclipse the 100-yard mark through the air while being sacked five times by Wisconsin.
If Michigan forces Iowa to beat it through the air, the Wolverines could be up by double figures by halftime.
Iowa needs to play a perfect game to even keep the game close, but its performances in previous big games this season suggest that is not possible.
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