Opening Line Michigan -11
As per Circa Sports
https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1465047870785077248
November 28th, 2021 at 4:08 PM ^
Adding that they have Cincy -12 v. Houston
November 28th, 2021 at 4:10 PM ^
So pumped for this game! Finally, in the B1G championship in Indy!
November 28th, 2021 at 4:16 PM ^
Where are we going after the game?
November 28th, 2021 at 4:19 PM ^
Slippery Noodle!
November 28th, 2021 at 4:26 PM ^
DD just answered it for us! ?
November 28th, 2021 at 4:32 PM ^
Is Broad Ripple worth taking over for the weekend?
November 28th, 2021 at 5:07 PM ^
Is there a UM bar to congregate before the game? We’re coming down but are completely blind as to what the hell we’re doing. I know I’m not the only one. We have tickets and a hotel room. Otherwise ?♂️.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:12 PM ^
O'Reilly's on Pennsylvania has always been designated the UM bar for the B1G basketball tournament.
I think I'll start there.
November 28th, 2021 at 4:14 PM ^
I don't know what to make of this. Iowa basically has no offense, but Ferentz is a wily old coot who has squeezed 10 wins out of a team that had an eight-win ceiling, through some combination of passes to the TE over the middle, punting, turnover margin and general voodoo. I'll be glad when he calls it a career.
November 28th, 2021 at 4:22 PM ^
Iowa has literally fallen upwards into the title game, not even exaggerating. Iowa fans have said the same thing. They should have lost to Penn State (they were being trounced before Clifford got hurt). They needed a thousand turnovers to beat a mediocre Iowa State team. They lost BY A LOT to Wisconsin (27-7) and PURDUE (24-7), barely scrapped by Northwestern (17-12), beat Illinois by 10 at home and needed probably Nebraska's most epic collapse this season to win that game (Iowa was down 21-6 late in the 3rd quarter).
This is, no joke, one of the worst teams to ever make the title game. Their defense is legit, but worse than Wisconsin and Penn State, but that offense is straight putrid. They have freshman across the OL (oh boy), their QB is John O'Korn level, and they play the same type of run-run-run-punt offense we do, but way worse.
If we don't win by 2 scores, it will be an miracle.
November 28th, 2021 at 4:39 PM ^
Doesn’t matter any given Saturday. Our team will need to be prepared. Ferentz will bring his A game.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:26 PM ^
Michigan’s coaches have a serious task tuning out all the noise this week.
We should pound this Iowa team but we better have our focus or these things can get sideways quickly.
Iowa has a Big Ten Championship caliber defense.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:37 PM ^
Mmmm I’m not going to say they have a championship caliber defense they haven’t played anybody. Do you think they beat Michigan St, Ohio St, Penn St (with Clifford at the helm)?
November 28th, 2021 at 6:00 PM ^
They are a 4th place team at best in the East. That said, you have to beat the 4th place team in the East.
Their offensive line in going to get abused by Ojabo/Hutchinson though.
November 28th, 2021 at 8:04 PM ^
They are ranked just above Michigan on D (13 vs 14) and they have an offense that is ranked 127th our of 130 teams.
It’s a pretty good accomplishment when your offense is fucking you over every game.
Word is their shutdown corner Hankins is out That’s big for us
November 28th, 2021 at 5:00 PM ^
They are second in the conference behind Penn State in sacks allowed.
we couldn't ask for a better setup with Ojabo/Hutchinson.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:00 PM ^
All true but the game must be played. It's not like Iowa is peaking like Michigan is- so I like our chances. Also it is much better to play Iowa than Wisconsin.
No team contending in the B1G West wanted to win that division this year.
Michigan -11 pts looks good. It will be a great game to watch.
November 28th, 2021 at 4:59 PM ^
You just saw UM at it's very best. Just like you saw OSU at it's very best the week before. If you exclude recency bias the line makes sense.
Iowa QB situation is bad but look at their scores v PSU Maryland Indiana and Nebraska ... Almost identical to ours.
Other games not so much. But it's not all about transitive property.
One might laugh that UM won't get up quite so much for big 10 championship game as they do for a team has beaten them down for nearly 2 decades but that could be true.
Again UM played the perfect game at home last week. That usually doesn't happen twice in a row.
Don't know much about this Iowa but they usually put out NFL linemen on the regular so it is probably strength on strength there. But they have 2 not very mobile QBs so Aiden gonna feast.
November 28th, 2021 at 6:38 PM ^
You quoted this:
"One might laugh that UM won't get up quite so much for big 10 championship game as they do for a team has beaten them down for nearly 2 decades but that could be true."
I think that's absolutely true. The Ohio State game was bigger than the Big 10 championship game is.
November 28th, 2021 at 7:06 PM ^
God, I hope they don’t have this mentality on Saturday.
November 28th, 2021 at 8:00 PM ^
Truly, most players and positions were "at there best" yesterday (especially in the 2nd half). But the thing is, they still had things happen that were either boneheaded (INT/dropped INT)...or defied logic (in terms or great coverage giving up insane catches and bounce back fumbles). It wasn't a perfect game. Without these things, Michigan may have won by 40. I see no reason why Michigan can't play a similar level of execution against an inferior opponent (relative to OSU).
Ultimately, I agree with your all your takes and points though. Nothing is a gimme, and we shouldn't take Iowa for granted. But, I see this game being similar to MSU/OSU strength/weakness. I was more worried about Wisky. I think we can grind out a game similar to our win over Indiana (though closer score) by playing mistake free...even WITHOUT matching the intensity displayed against OSU. Cade is the right QB to not self implode here. I'm leaning towards 35-13 because I think this team is mature and has the IT factor between the ears, but I will re-evaluate my prediction as we get closer to the game.
November 28th, 2021 at 4:15 PM ^
I am mostly seeing UM -10 by the various casinos.
#GoBlue
November 28th, 2021 at 4:17 PM ^
Need to channel the ghost of Don Brown because this QB-less Iowa program is exactly the type of team Brown wouldn't let cross midfield.
Kidding aside, this team led by these captains aren't going to let us blow this
November 28th, 2021 at 4:54 PM ^
I'm fairly certain that I remember an Iowa game where they didn't have a QB and we didn't let them cross midfield.
Let's do it again.
November 28th, 2021 at 4:32 PM ^
Makes sense. Beat Iowa. Win the game. Go Blue !
November 28th, 2021 at 4:34 PM ^
Feels about right
November 28th, 2021 at 4:36 PM ^
I think it’s to high
November 28th, 2021 at 4:38 PM ^
Does Iowa run tempo?
They don’t?
Iowa gonna die.
November 28th, 2021 at 4:40 PM ^
Will they try to edge Dax? How did that work.
November 28th, 2021 at 4:39 PM ^
And what was the line for the UM vs OSU game?
November 28th, 2021 at 4:43 PM ^
Last I saw was -7.5
November 28th, 2021 at 4:44 PM ^
Just thanking 8 lb, 6 oz baby Jesus that this game is NOT being played in or anywhere close to Kinnick Stadium. Iowa is a completely different team in that stadium.
They’re still not even remotely to be overlooked, as their defense is good enough to drag this game down into the dirt. But I’m sure Harbaugh will not allow this team to be looking ahead.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:00 PM ^
I expect 24+ but a win is a win is a win. As long as we are 2 or 3 in the CFP and not playing Georgia I’m happy
November 28th, 2021 at 7:19 PM ^
I was going to same the same thing, those stupid "toughest places to play" lists never have Kinnick Stadium in them, Iowa always has a chance in Kinnick.
November 28th, 2021 at 4:58 PM ^
Actually, I like Michigan giving 11, providing they can recover from an emotionally draining win over OSU. Iowa can try to slow us down, but they won't. Our defense will eat up their offense. Put it this way, if OSU had won, they would be favored by more than 11, and we hammered them.
November 28th, 2021 at 4:58 PM ^
Actually, I like Michigan giving 11, providing they can recover from an emotionally draining win over OSU. Iowa can try to slow us down, but they won't. Our defense will eat up their offense. Put it this way, if OSU had won, they would be favored by more than 11, and we hammered them.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:09 PM ^
By 11, by 1, whatever, just win the next game! A lot of praise and back-patting for this team, rightfully so for the Saturday win, but that was yesterday & I have no doubt they have turned their focus to the next goal - The B10 Championship. Stay focused, keep to the plan that you got you this far & GO BLUE!
November 28th, 2021 at 5:29 PM ^
Iowa will be a tough game. Much like UM this season, they found ways to win. Never underestimate teams that find ways to win. Needless to say, Harbaugh will have them ready. He sees the possibilities the next month or so. He sees the end prize in sight.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:42 PM ^
Also to keep a note of: one of Iowa’s corners, Matt Hankins, is out for the game. Don’t know much about him but he’s got 30 tackles on the year, three picks and five pass breakups, so it’s not an insignificant loss for them.
November 28th, 2021 at 7:04 PM ^
That helps. Here is to our team having a great week of practice but avoiding significant injuries.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:49 PM ^
I think we should win, but it seems like Ferentz-led teams always play us tough. Their defense is one of the best in the the Big Ten and Tyler Goodson had a good season. We're better, but you don't get to 10 wins entirely on luck. If Cade plays like he's been playing I feel good about the game, but my point is not to take anything for granted.
November 28th, 2021 at 6:12 PM ^
An almost perfect game and an emotional high this week.
Next week, take care of business. Solid playcalling. Limit mental mistakes. Continue to cash in TDs in the red zone. Keep the turnover battle even or positive for us. The formula for a win.
November 28th, 2021 at 7:03 PM ^
I’d say there defense is opportunistic more than being so good. Don’t turn the ball over and we win.
November 28th, 2021 at 7:02 PM ^
This is the week I want the team to go into the sub. After Monday, all of these Ohio St interviews need to be done. They need to focus on Iowa all week. Ferentz won’t lose this game, Michigan will have to win it. They’ll play conservative on offense and defense and hope Michigan makes mistakes. They play a lot like us but with less overall talent. They are smart and tough though. We need to use our athletes on both sides and play smart. There’s nothing super creative about them but they’ll bring out a play or five as a wrinkle. Ferentz always pulls them out against us and they have nothing to lose in this one.
November 28th, 2021 at 7:22 PM ^
Sometimes Fernetz seems past his prime, but sometimes you get a positively diabolic gameplan out of Iowa, and you really never know what you're going to get.
November 28th, 2021 at 7:40 PM ^
Eleven points seems a tad high, but I'm hopeful that the seemingly very genuine mutual respect (and briefly shared history) between Harbaugh and Ferentz will give this week and this game a "big but businesslike" feel that doesn't require the peak emotions of The Game. The more focus on actual football, the better for Michigan.
I'm also hopeful that UM will carry momentum into this game. Ohio State was dinner; Iowa is dessert.
November 28th, 2021 at 8:58 PM ^
Goodness. I hope the team can focus after THE game. Iowa defense is no pushover unfortunately.
Can the receivers best their LB on intermediate passes ? Can iowa be ran on ? I hope so.
November 28th, 2021 at 11:22 PM ^
Just win. Iowa can be scary when they are able to hang around in games and I'll never forget what they did to OSU in 2017.
Have to be up for this - it's for the Big 10 Championship which we haven't won since 2004. We are the better team but just like it was said up-thread - teams simply don't luck their way into winning 10 games. Take this team very seriously.
Look at our offensive struggles just two weeks ago against Penn State. Same can happen with Iowa. They get some busted plays on offense and create a couple of turnovers and we could be fighting for our lives next Saturday.