Iowa Preview

Time: 3:30
Location: Big House
Weather: 71 No Rain
TV: CBS

Line: Michigan -5.5

Historically, Iowa has had a great defense and poor offense.  The offense is better and the defense is still really good.  Michigan has a really good defense this season and the offense has struggled at times.  Both teams are 3-0 with close wins over instate teams.   Everyone thinks this will be a low scoring game where a turnover might be the difference.  

Dear Coach Whitt:

I know you understand what "Clean" football is. It's when your team doesn't receive penalties or turns the  the ball over.  Michigan is struggling with both offense and penalties on defense.   You can not make those mistakes against Iowa because they will capitalize on everyone of those.  In fact, their game plan includes them. 

If you're looking for a comp, your Utah teams were sort of the Iowa of the West.   By now you know what it means to be the Michigan head coach and winning in the Big House is paramount to having a good season.  So this is a big game for two reasons, it's your first conference game and its Iowa in the Big House. 

Now to the team, we can't have another first half like the team put on the field against UTEP.  That is unacceptable and you know iit.   The defense needs to play with aggression and the offense can't run into a loaded box over and over.  Every defense is going to make Bryce beat them through the air, I would've assumed you and your staff understood that before the season started.  If not, you do know now. 

Get Savion involved in the passing game and continue to leverage JJ and Marsh.  I do believe we have TE's that are great for getting first downs.  I love running the ball but you can't do that when the box has every defender in it.  On the goal line, UTEP didn't even cover JJ on one play last week.  

We need more creativity on offense and that doesn't mean running Bryce non-stop.  Yes, he needs to get his running plays in, but his ball security concerns me. 

This game should be sponsored by Tide Pods, because the team that plays the "cleanest" will win.   Michigan has to limit the mistakes because  Iowa wants to "hang around" and win late on a field goal.  I hope Michigan's injuries have healed this week and we get Berry, Sprague, and Marshall off the list.  

It's hard to win on the road in the Big Ten and Michigan needs to protect the Big House.  Play clean and play with aggression!  

Michigan 24 Iowa 14

Michigan - Iowa Availability Report

Sprague and Berry Questionable is interesting.  Dom being on the list is not great. 

Micah Ka'apana has been injured his entire Michigan career it seems

Big Ten Week 4 Preview

We finally made it through the non-conference matchups and it's time to play Big Ten Football! Only 2 non-conference games this week. 

Friday Night:

Howard @ Rutgers (-41.5):  Rutgers loves them some Friday night football!  There are already rumors about Brian Kelly being the next head coach as the Scarlet Knights are looking for their 1st win of the year.  Rutgers 31 Howard 10 

Northwestern @ IU (-21):  Ok, on paper this looks like a blowout.  Don't sleep on the Wildcats who just blew out Coach Prime's Colorado team.  IU 28 NW 14 

Saturday:

Illinois @ OSU (-26.5):  What has happened to Illinois?  I expected them to be solid this year and they lost to Duke at home.  To be fair, Duke was the ACC Champs last season.  OSU 40 Illinois 20

UCLA (1.5) @ Maryland: I'm not sure of either team.  I thought Maryland would beat VT last week and they didn't. UCLA has a new coach and seems to be playing better football this season.  I still don't like how the California teams travel East,  Maryland 24 UCLA 21. 

ND (-27.5) @ Purdue:  This should be a walk over for ND as long as they show up.  ND 38 Purdue 10 

Wisconsin @ Penn State (-10):  This should be a huge Big Ten matchup but the game ends up at 5:00 on Peacock.  Penn State 21 Wisconsin 10 

Nebraska (-5.5) @ MSU:  Sparty is not getting any respect after playing ND tough last week.  Nebraska could be fools gold right now.  I like MSU in this one.  MSU 17 Nebraska 14

Oregon (-3) @ USC:  So let me understand this, USC is ranked #12 and Oregon is #20.  USC is playing at home but still a home dog?  It's because USC defense is questionable at best.  Lots of points here.  Oregon 40 USC 38 

Minnesota @ Washington (-10):  These 11:00 EST kick off times are a killer for teams traveling West.  I like Washington here.  Washington 34 Minn 17

Wolverine Wednesday: Points at a Premium

The over/under for Iowa at Michigan at 38.5 continues to remain low and I joked on Monday, the first one to 10 wins! Leading the Hawkeyes now is QB Mark Gronowski from Naperville who was a transfer from South Dakota State, Hank Brown, transfer from Auburn.  We all know too well about Michigan's struggles on that side of the ball.   Michigan has faced a very difficult 4th ranked Oklahoma defense and Iowa has faced Iowa State's who has the 13th ranked defense (points against for both stats). 

When defense is king points become a premium and that means field goals will play a huge role in Saturday's game, which will probably take 2.5 hours to play.  Which means we will be commericaled to death by CBS as they try to pay for the Romo contract buyout.  

• The Harbaugh brothers are a combined 1-3 in the NFL right now.  

• Tony Diaz Iowa's best WR #14, loves man to man coverage and calls it "shopping at a candy store"

• Tony again on Michigan's man to man:  "We've just got to make plays. We're going to get what we want — we're going to get man on man. It's just, who's better at the end of the day?"