B1G Championship Common Opponent Comparison
Comparison of Michigan and Iowa against common opponents:
Rutgers: UM 31-7, Iowa 22-0 (both home), Michigan +2
Nebraska: UM 45-7, Iowa 13-10 (both away), Michigan +35
Minnesota: UM 52-10 (away), Iowa 10-12 (home), Michigan +44
Michigan State: UM 49-0 (away), Iowa 26-16 (home), Michigan +39
Purdue: UM 41-13, Iowa 20-14 (both home), Michigan +22
Penn State: UM 24-15, Iowa 0-31 (both away): Michigan +40
Average: Michigan +30.3
FWIW, line opened at UM -22, currently at -23, O/U opened at 34, currently at 35.5; implied game score approx. UM 29, Iowa 6.
November 26th, 2023 at 5:56 AM ^
Nah. M - 30-5
5 is much more an Iowa score
November 26th, 2023 at 8:24 AM ^
Bad snap on a punt...I refuse to believe JJ gets sacked in the endzone or Corum gets stuffed.
November 26th, 2023 at 10:27 AM ^
Blocked PAT returned for 2
November 26th, 2023 at 8:44 AM ^
I like it - keeps our 30 point streak alive...
November 26th, 2023 at 9:25 AM ^
Two games is not a "streak."
I'll take the W and don't much care about the win margin or point total. In fact, I'd be fine with Harbaugh shutting much of the offense down after gaining a winning lead to avoid further injuries.
November 26th, 2023 at 10:24 AM ^
Ahh crap, Penn St happened...
November 26th, 2023 at 1:07 PM ^
The median value for points is more meaningful than consecutive anyway.
November 26th, 2023 at 6:08 AM ^
it's Iowa a week after the emotion of the OSU game, this might a 14-9 game or something
November 26th, 2023 at 6:35 AM ^
People said that two years ago, when we played an Iowa that had a less incompetent offense, and it was 42-3. I'm not predicting that big a blowout but I also don't think it will be particularly close.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:28 AM ^
That game was 21-3 until last when CJ blocked a punt and floodgates opened.
Gattis was also pulling rabbits out of his hat in the first quarter and it was 14-3 with a lot of punts for awhile.
Iowa's offense never threatened. But just like Michigan has blown out OSU two years in a row...those games were close late until Michigan took it to another level.
It didn't happen this year it was it was 30-24.
Two years ago, if you take out the 4th quarter barrage, it's probably 24-3.
I don't think those types of predictions are totally off. However, losing Cooper DeJean is massive for Iowa.
November 26th, 2023 at 6:38 AM ^
I worry about Michigan the week before the OSU game. They've proven that they are ready to move on after winning the game.
November 26th, 2023 at 7:05 AM ^
We have 2 years of data points that make me not worry about that at all. These guys want to rip a trophy out of Petiti's petite little hands. Iowa brings a completely nonfunctioning offense into this game.
I predict it will look a lot like Iowa's 31-0 loss to PSU. Our offense can stay vanilla and just stay on the field while the defense racks up 3 and outs until their offense (edit, meant this to be defense) quits. After that the floodgates open.
Michigan 38-3.
November 26th, 2023 at 10:43 AM ^
Agree the Penn St. data point is the most relevant, we are better than Penn State, and its a semi-neutral site vs. Home.
I think Harbaugh will try to jump on them early and then rest some players to avoid injuries for the CFP. We’ll probably see more Mullins, Orji and other role players get a lot more snaps to give other teams more to game plan for. Every Orji snap is experience for him and less wear and tear on JJ, same with Mullings and Corum/Edwards.
November 26th, 2023 at 10:58 AM ^
Expect some fun plays to start, and to display our prowess and possibility on offense. Then expect them to try to get some all-time records for Corum in the second half. And to keep it respectful, since it will be the Ferentz's last game.
One more game to keep some of the offensive wrinkles under wraps would not be a bad thing.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:03 AM ^
These players didn't come back to beat OSU again. They came back for the CFP. They'll be locked in next Saturday.
November 26th, 2023 at 10:30 AM ^
Hope they win with cruelty
November 26th, 2023 at 1:09 PM ^
trap game!
November 26th, 2023 at 6:14 AM ^
The intangible, the one Iowa coaches and fans can't live with, is that we would have the better punter on the field. Hope we won't see him having to punt but a defensive game plan might be the way to go against inept Iowa offense.
November 26th, 2023 at 6:19 AM ^
We should punt right back to them on first down after they punt to us. At least once, preferably the first drive of the game.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:15 AM ^
That kind of arrogance is The Michigan Difference(tm)
November 26th, 2023 at 6:33 AM ^
Those Iowa game scores are brutal.
November 26th, 2023 at 6:41 AM ^
Tory Taylor vs Tommy Doman
November 26th, 2023 at 8:32 AM ^
Punter's paradise.
Tommy better be fired up. All the talk about the other punter all week. All the disrespect, people saying he doesn't belong on the same field. That he has a JV leg compared to Tory.
I'd be pissed if I was Tommy. I'd go out and outshine Taylor in every way. 70 yard bomb? You got it. 40 yards and stick it inside the 5? No problem. Angled/coffin corner? Consider it done.
Nebraska has better corn and Michigan has better punters!
November 26th, 2023 at 6:43 AM ^
Michigan should play all backups and settle for a 24-3 score.
November 26th, 2023 at 6:53 AM ^
Iowa is really good on defense. I hope we don't have a 2016 style game. We need to get on them early so they don't believe they can hang around.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:13 AM ^
Not worried. Iowa's mid-teens offense was mediocre, paired with an excellent defense. Now they're abysmal, historically bad on offense, albeit still paired with excellent defense. That's why they can't hang with "good" teams anymore.
November 26th, 2023 at 10:47 AM ^
Facts, open it up a little early, make it a 2 score game as soon as possible so that fluke Iowa TD only really matters to some gamblers with a 12-leg parlay.
November 26th, 2023 at 1:04 PM ^
Their defense is very good but they're missing Cooper DeJean now and they're not turning people over as much as before. Their offense is honestly awful. They want to win this game 13-10, but I don't think they can move the ball and their defense bends a little more than before.
November 26th, 2023 at 1:53 PM ^
I'm pretty sure all we have to do is score one touchdown and we'll be okay.
November 26th, 2023 at 7:09 AM ^
Just bought 5 tickets. $62 cheaper than last year in same section.
November 26th, 2023 at 10:51 AM ^
I got 6 yesterday, about $50 cheaper each and went from endzone to 20 yard line.
Enjoy the prices, next year they are probably going to go up quite a bit, as the champ game will almost be a Rose Bowl east.
November 26th, 2023 at 7:32 AM ^
Iowa won't be able to move the ball at ALL on us. Will Johnson or not.
The only real question is how wide open we make the offense and how the OL does sans Zinter. I think 31-3 is about right
November 26th, 2023 at 7:39 AM ^
I’d like to see what Mullings can do in this game. Give him 10 carries. Give Orji a series or two also.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:16 AM ^
With Barnhart moving to G and Jones to T, might actually be a net improvement for the OL
November 26th, 2023 at 9:26 AM ^
No way. It might slightly upgrade RT, or be a push
But Zinter is one of the best OGs in the nation. Barnhart is solid but Zinter is in a class of his own
November 26th, 2023 at 7:36 AM ^
I think the thing we’re all overlooking here is that Alex is going to have to FFFF this terrible offense. Should we pitch in for some of those eclipse sunglasses to make sure his eyes don’t get too hurt? Maybe he can have PopeLando on for a guest spot since he’s been doing IoWatch this whole season?
November 26th, 2023 at 8:49 AM ^
LMAO!!! Poor Alex - I hope Brian gives him a bonus for this!
Getting PopeLando to call in to the radio show Friday as the guest would be awesome!
SETH - GET ON THAT STAT!
November 26th, 2023 at 9:07 AM ^
November 26th, 2023 at 8:05 AM ^
Win the next game.
Go, Blue!
November 26th, 2023 at 8:32 AM ^
Keys to the game:
1. No turnovers - no INTs for short fields, no goal line fumbles that squander drives.
2. Sound special teams - no flubbed punt catches, solid coverage. Cooper DeJean is out but that is a strength of Iowa.
3. Sound defense - Iowa has backs who can break long runs and good TEs, so cover the run and waggle (always the play action, waggle throw to the wide side). Iowa tried one trick last time they playe MIchigan at Indy - HB pass, so watch out. They are not dogged and repetitive not always imaginative.
4. Ever possession in positive territory get points
November 26th, 2023 at 8:43 AM ^
It's god damn amazing they're 10-2 and really just a bad call from being 11-1, with the worst offense in CFB.
November 26th, 2023 at 12:57 PM ^
It truly is amazing. But one the other end its just been coaching malpractice.
November 26th, 2023 at 2:07 PM ^
I think it's been a display of coaching brilliance. Ferentz has hired his incompetent son to run one third of his football team and despite this, he's able to go 10-2 through amazing defense, special teams, and game management.
Imagine playing Madden and filling an offense with all the worst possible players and then letting the computer pick the plays at random (with a very limited playbook that pretty much only contains inside zone, outside zone, and a couple passes to TEs). Could you see yourself winning 10 out of 12 games?
Say what you want about the B1G West, but Ferentz is the only coach in that division who has intentionally sabotaged 1/3 of his football team and he shit all over them.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:49 AM ^
I like what Penn State did to them. Let’s go do that.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:53 AM ^
So, uhh, this is Michigan with Jim Harbaugh as the head coach. You guys are all prepared for a generic, vanilla, run heavy offense designed to minimize mistakes, right? I mean, the only team in the B1G that can consistently out-Iowa Iowa, is Michigan. Iowa is in our DNA. Michigan was Iowa-ing before Iowa knew what Iowa-ing was.
The dam will break after a couple of scores, when the Iowa defense finally gives up it's already lost cause.
I really hope Michigan declines the trophy presentation, but I don't see that happening.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:08 AM ^
Penn State out Iowa'd Iowa this year. Because Penn State is Iowa with 5* RBs (and recklessly aggressive elite defense instead of maddeningly passive elite defense).
November 26th, 2023 at 10:58 AM ^
Its impossible for anybody to out Iowa Iowa, and definitely not to Iowa before Iowa was Iowa. Pet rocks and Disco are just now becoming popular there for the first time.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:24 AM ^
Iowa played a bunch of bad offenses. They don’t have Campbell, Cooper, Moss, etc…as they did in ‘21. They aren’t nearly as effective at forcing turnovers as they were two years ago.
The offense is somehow worse than the one in ‘21. No Cade, All, or Lachey.
Michigan ironically is better this year at forcing turnovers than Iowa.
November 26th, 2023 at 10:03 AM ^
Iowa knows this is the last time they'll ever be in the B1G title game, they have nothing to lose. I just want a comfortable win with no injuries.
November 26th, 2023 at 12:35 PM ^
Isn’t playing Iowa a risk to the health of our players? They have two of our former players who know our signs, you know.