Michigan 42, Iowa 3 -- 2021 Big Ten Football Champions!

[WM Wolverine]

Some underestimating Iowa, really only their defense which can really cause troubles for a QB that gives their offense a very short field or scoring themselves. They are quite good at disguising blitzes, coverages and they get enough pressure to force QB's into mistakes. 11 points is a lot, thought it would be more like 7.5.

[WM Wolverine]

Harbaugh's '16 squad was far more talented, especially on defense.

[Cody_Russell]

Iowa plays like a tough team most of the time.
I heard their center is the best center draft prospect in a long time. They can make it difficult in the trenches by being physical. Purdue was a bad matchup for Iowa because they were torched on the outside with David Bell.
Problem is Iowa’s passing offense. It’s been absolutely dreadful at times.

Can absolutely see this turn into an old school, tough, game. Turnover margin and field position matter.

M should be fine because McNamara is pretty good at managing the game. Taking what the defense gives you. That INT yesterday was out of the norm.
M’s special teams unit is really good too.

[Hannibal]

Harbaugh's '16 squad was far more talented, especially on defense.

That team was way more talented on defense but this year's team has some big edges on offense. Tight ends are way better at blocking, WRs have much more depth, and RBs are night and day better. About the only thing that '16 team had on offense that this one doesn't have was a Darboh type who could grab contested balls.

[Jeff Buchanan]

I've always enjoyed Inside Michigan Football. The producers do a really good job of putting that 30 minutes together. This is Brandstatter's spot. He's really good at it. His play-by-play isn't great but he's great doing that show and always has been. Thanks for posting that Linesman.

I can't tell you how much that win meant to me. There's nothing better than a come-back story like this. It's tremendously motivating. A lot of fans, including me, bailed on M football and stopped supporting Harbaugh and the team. Just too many heartbreaks over an organization - M football - that was a huge part of my life going back to my 20s. Different then as at that point in my life it was a time to party. But over time, the team, the team grew on me in important ways, it connected me and my son and continues to do that, it motivated me to improve and do my best in whatever I did no matter what part of my life I occupied. So, it was very sad to see that aspect of M football wane in the last years of LC and then never get regained under the tenure of 2 HCs and a really long time.

So, to see a guy, Jim Harbaugh, that is the epitome of a Michigan Man and all that stands for, who has struggled but as evidenced today, never gave up, never gave in, to bring this team to the point it has attained, on the precipice of winning the Big Ten Championship and playing for a NC, just makes me beyond being joyful.

A word on OSU. It's a great team and a great institution with the kind of commitment to winning and excellence that I could admire ....... if it weren't for the fact that my distaste for OSU football is as much a part of me as my love for what M football stands for. I know Talent personally if only through a one time tailgate experience in Columbus. I know he loves OSU football as much as I love M football. I know how he feels today. It sucks because I've got more experience with that feeling than he does. So, tip of the hat to OSU, the players and their coaching staff. Fuck them all the same.

[Jeff Buchanan]

That INT yesterday was out of the norm.

Some thoughts on that play that I slow-mo'ed this morning about a dozen times. It's too bad FOX didn't have replay video or at least the producer foolishily decided to break to the crowd, faces, whatever instead of replay it. So the available video was poor and blurred. It was the only ouch play by M's offense the entire afternoon.

First, McNamara threw that ball into double coverage in a tight window situation that he thought he could get a completion for a TD. He's done it before to Wilson on that play. He did a great job of trying to throw Roman Wilson open inside and away from the coverage. The ball was perfectly placed to do that away from the two guys who did not have leverage inside. Second, there's no question Cade didn't see the S who did have inside leverage and was to Wilson's left and moving to the spot Cade was throwing to. Boom, the S snagged it. Great defensive play on McNamara's play that was not all that bad.

[Tslisher]

M should be fine because McNamara is pretty good at managing the game. Taking what the defense gives you. That INT yesterday was out of the norm.
M’s special teams unit is really good too.

On the INT, it seemed to me that this play was drawn up to go there. We had momentum at that point and Gattis wanted a quick strike to bury them and put them down early by two scores. I think that Cade knew that, and also probably relied too much on his pre snap read as has been mentioned that he tends to do. It seemed he was going there with the ball on a timing route no matter how it was defended. Not that it excuses it, but I don't see him making that kind of mistake again.

[Cody_Russell]

Teaching moment for this week! Can’t make mistakes vs the Iowa defense because that has been a key to their success.

1. Stop Iowa rushing offense. Make Petras beat you.
2. Win the turnover margin.

[lineygoblue]

McNamara seems to learn well from his mistakes. Also, he doesn't beat himself up about them. He just comes back, and takes up where he left off. He seems to be very coachable, which has to be why Harbaugh likes him so much. I just hope that McNamara's great season doesn't send JJ to the transfer portal. Maybe the significant snaps that he got all season long will keep him interested. We need him to be ready if McNamara goes down.

After YEARS of putting up with lunk-headed QB's who make the same mistakes OVER and OVER again, we finally have a couple guys with real QB skills who play consistently well.

[WingsFan]

Iowa rely heavily on their defense and they rely on special teams, plus turnovers. This game comes down to the same thing the last Iowa game we played did. Beat the crap out of the Iowa QB….Petras is basically a statue back there….. Go put him on the ground It is tough for players to get up for two weeks in a row especially after a huge win/game, but hopefully the end of the prize will drive them. Also the fact that no other Michigan program has done what this team has done this year. regards of accomplishing something very special.

[Obi-Jon]

This is an extraordinarily focused team. They have their eyes on the prize, beating osu and winning the B1G championship. I don't think there will be any letdown.

[THE_WIZARD_]

This is eerily similar to the B12 Title Game in 2009. A very talented #2 Texas took on an upstart UNL team that was very good on defense and putrid on offense. Texas was eying a BCS title date with Bama...UNL had nothing to lose. This Iowa team is better coached, better on ST, and probably about the same on offense as that UNL team...not quite as salty as the Suh-led Huskers though. Texas was uber talented and had Colt McCoy leading the way. They were double digit favorites as well. They were lucky to survive...then were massacred by The Nick.

I think M survives Iowa and get blown out by UGA in the title game.

HARBAUGH!!! 23 FERENTZ!!! 13

[Hannibal]

I'd prefer something more along the lines of the 2012 or 2014 B1G title games, but your outcome is also acceptable.

[Mike]

I've watched more Iowa football this year than I ever have. Trust me, there are not very good. Their record may be the most fraudulent 10-2 in history. They make Hoke's 2011 10-2 team look like 2019 LSU.

Let's remember how they shot up the rankings early in the season.

They beat #17 Indiana on opening night. Remember when people thought the Hoosier would be good? They went 2-10 (0-9 in conference). On the strength of this victory, the Hawkeyes moved up from #18 to #10.

That was followed by a huge road win at #9 Iowa State. Remember when they were all the rage? They finished 7-5 (5-4 in the Big 12). On the strength of this victory, the Hawkeyes moved up from #10 to #5.

Iowa followed up these riveting victories with a couple sludgefart wins over Kent State and Colorado State. Iowa had to come from behind in the second half to beat CSU 24-14 whilst racking up a whopping 278 yards of offense and 12 first downs. Oh... the Rams finished 3-9 out of the Mountain West.

After routing Maryland, they had their "Game of the Century" against #4 Penn State. Remember when they were good? No? It's been a while. You may recall Penn State played the last 40 minutes of that game without an offense. Iowa came back, won in the final minute, fans stormed the field. Oh... PSU finished 7-5 (4-5 in Big Ten play).

Then the #2 Hawkeyes were faced with the daunting task of facing Purdue and Wisconsin in back to back weeks. Both those teams finished a respectable 8-4. They also both kicked Iowa's balls in so deep that if you want to give the Hawkeye's a routine physical, you'd need to squeeze their necks and have them cough.

Let's see, what else is there? Oh! They rebounded by beating Northwestern 17-12 and nearly outgained the Wildcats in the process!

Then they had a big showdown with Minnesota and somehow managed to scratch out 277 yards, 12 first downs, and a narrow victory.

Their last two regular season games each featured a single offensive TD, 255 total yards against Illinois (who finished 5-7), and a comeback against Nebraska that relied on 2 FGs, a blocked punt for a TD, a safety, and a 2 yard QB plunge.

Color me unimpressed. Michigan will roll.

[THE_WIZARD_]

...and M beat a shitty Rutgers team by 7...a shitty UNL team by 3...and that shitty PSU team you referenced by 4. It's a long season bro. Iowa sucks on offense yes. Yes I fully expect M to win by around 10. But they will play FerentzBall and keep it respectable. They have nothing to lose. That is the team you don't want to play. I fucking hate _owa and hope you kick their nads thru their skulls...but I think it will be closer than you think.