Michigan v Iowa

[Peake]

This will be an interesting game because obviously Iowa is struggling on the road (0-3) on the year, but this is a home game for the hawkeyes. Iowa is also the youngest team in the Big Ten, so youth tends to show on the road. Michigan this seasons is 1-1 on the road, so.....

What does it all mean?

Iowa- They aren't much better then Purdue, BUT this game is at home and that means a lot, especially this year where teams who shouldn't be winning are at home. They can run the football and have one of the better runningbacks in the league, but geeeesh you lost to a bad Iowa State and awful Minny team? How? Those teams are just awful. Who have they beat? No one of importance.

Michigan- You have to like that the defense is now the #1 scoring defense in the country. Like it or not they are creating turnovers. Call it luck, call it playing the right people, call it what you want, it is what it is. Red zone defense is now #1 in the conference after allowing only a single td to Purdon't in the final minutes in the redzone. The emergence of Blake Countess at DB has been a very pleasant surprise. Not only has he been good, but people are not throwing at him he has been so solid. MIchigan's D holds the #26 rushing offense to only 89 yards on the ground, while raking up 389 on the ground themselves. The good news is Denard was only responsible for 89 of it. People around the program knew Fitz Toussaint was pretty good, but he has been banged up since week one. Is he finally healthy? Injuries are big in this one. Ricky Barnum starting LG is probably out this week, as is starting FS Jordan Kovacs. The nice thing is Troy Woolfolk has slid right in at FS, where he should have been from the start. The bad news is Taylor Lewan is banged up and questionable.

So.....

Michigan has to go on the road into one of the tougher places to play despite how bad Iowa is. I give the slight edge to Michigan going on the road this week if they can stay healthy on the OL. I know playing Iowa at Iowa will be a tall task, but I think they are playing them at the right time. Iowa is trending down and I think Michigan can step on the throat early. If Michigan starts turning it over I believe it will look a lot like the MSU game because Iowa can run the football. It will be a close game but I will take the Wolverines in this one.

Prediction
Michigan 27
Iowa 20

[Bleeding Red]

I think Michigan will have their way with Iowa. I think Ferentz could easily lose the final 4 games which put one foot on an oil spill and the other on a banana peel!

Iowa 21
Michigan 42

[C-Bolt]

Another easy win for Mich. Iowa is terrible!

[1987chieftains]

michigan rolls!! a repeat of last week.

[Jesco White]

This will be an interesting game because obviously Iowa is struggling on the road (0-3) on the year, but this is a home game for the hawkeyes. Iowa is also the youngest team in the Big Ten, so youth tends to show on the road. Michigan this seasons is 1-1 on the road, so.....

What does it all mean?

Iowa- They aren't much better then Purdue, BUT this game is at home and that means a lot, especially this year where teams who shouldn't be winning are at home. They can run the football and have one of the better runningbacks in the league, but geeeesh you lost to a bad Iowa State and awful Minny team? How? Those teams are just awful. Who have they beat? No one of importance.

Michigan- You have to like that the defense is now the #1 scoring defense in the country. Like it or not they are creating turnovers. Call it luck, call it playing the right people, call it what you want, it is what it is. Red zone defense is now #1 in the conference after allowing only a single td to Purdon't in the final minutes in the redzone. The emergence of Blake Countess at DB has been a very pleasant surprise. Not only has he been good, but people are not throwing at him he has been so solid. MIchigan's D holds the #26 rushing offense to only 89 yards on the ground, while raking up 389 on the ground themselves. The good news is Denard was only responsible for 89 of it. People around the program knew Fitz Toussaint was pretty good, but he has been banged up since week one. Is he finally healthy? Injuries are big in this one. Ricky Barnum starting LG is probably out this week, as is starting FS Jordan Kovacs. The nice thing is Troy Woolfolk has slid right in at FS, where he should have been from the start. The bad news is Taylor Lewan is banged up and questionable.

So.....

Michigan has to go on the road into one of the tougher places to play despite how bad Iowa is. I give the slight edge to Michigan going on the road this week if they can stay healthy on the OL. I know playing Iowa at Iowa will be a tall task, but I think they are playing them at the right time. Iowa is trending down and I think Michigan can step on the throat early. If Michigan starts turning it over I believe it will look a lot like the MSU game because Iowa can run the football. It will be a close game but I will take the Wolverines in this one.

Prediction
Michigan 27
Iowa 20

You did a marvelous job of spinning this to look as if your boys are actually going to be playing a solid opponent this week. :122245 All kidding aside, that school up north will pick up another win this week by a comfortable margin, as we inch another week closer to "The Game".

[Peake]

Thanks Jesco.


To be honest Iowa is 5-0 at home, and Michigan in recent years with far better teams have struggled their. You never know. I am sure Wisconsin thought they would breeze into the shoe and come away with a win, but you know how that went.

We shall see.

[Jesco White]

Thanks Jesco.


To be honest Iowa is 5-0 at home, and Michigan in recent years with far better teams have struggled their. You never know. I am sure Wisconsin thought they would breeze into the shoe and come away with a win, but you know how that went.

We shall see.

Very true. However, I think your boys are MUCH BETTER coached this year than in those recent years. I believe they are well on their way back.

[seofan_via_dublin]

With the game in Iowa, if the Hawkeyes don't turn it over and stop making special teams blunders, then they should win!

That being said, we've played too many games, and they keep making the same mistakes, so there is no reason to think their bad habits will change.

Iowa isn't as bad as they've looked, and Michigan isn't as good.

I expect a close game to start, but then for UM to capitalize on Iowa mistakes and seal a victory by more than 20!

[oldmo31]

Always a pretty good game to watch.

[VegasEagle]

Iowa in the upset

[Peake]

would it be an upset? They are 5-0 at home.

[VegasEagle]

Yea you guys are ranked and Iowa isnt = Upset

[dazed&confused]

Michigan comfortably. Why is Ferrentz mentioned regularly whenever a coaching opening occurs?!

[underthemound]

Hawkeyes hang for a quarter, but turnovers doom them. Michigan by 3tds.

[91Buckeye]

Michigan comfortably. Why is Ferrentz mentioned regularly whenever a coaching opening occurs?!

I would say that Iowa isn't exactly a hotbed for high school football talent and he still manages to produce nfl caliber players on a regular basis. He is also considered one of the best offensive line coaches in the country.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

i say the guys with the goofy uniforms win this one. the wolverines.

[C-Bolt]

Wow had to eat crow on this one!Iowa might be tough place to play but Michigan was the one that looked "terrible" today,,the mighty big ten LOL

[mab43bac]

Two bad teams and the real michigan showed up again .Bad defense ,i dont see them winning another game.

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

Caught parts of this one and I thnk the country was able to learn Iowa is better than most thought, while Michigan is still has a lot of ground to make up before they are really a top 20 team.

[FANOSPORTS]

Minnesota beats Iowa and Iowa beats overrated Michigan. Minnesota took Michigan State to the wire and Northwestern is beating Nebraska right now. How bad is the big ten this year ?. I know the Big Least is having a terrible year but they're not supposed to be as good as the Big Ten in any year. The Big Ten has 1 team IMO that might be able to remain in the Top 20 now and that would still be Wisconsin and that's only on their good days.