Best and worst from Michigan's big win over Iowa
IOWA CITY — Michigan Wolverines football took down Iowa 27-14 on Saturday afternoon at Kinnick Stadium. Handing out superlatives from U-M’s first victory in Iowa City since 2005:
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Fast start
Michigan wanted to start fast against an Iowa team with the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense and a style of play conducive to playing with a lead. The Hawkeyes won the toss, deferred to the second half … and saw Michigan jump out to an early lead.
The Maize and Blue ran 11 plays on a 75-yard drive that chewed up 5:07 of clock and set the tone. The possession ended with a 16-yard run by graduate wide receiver Ronnie Bell, an end-around play that marked the first rushing score of his career.
It helped take the crowd out of the game early on and gave Michigan confidence it could move the ball against the Iowa defense. The Hawkeyes’ offense actually found some success late in the game, but the Wolverines already had a nice cushion thanks to a strong start.
Top position group
From start to finish, the Michigan offensive line was stellar. In a loud environment, the men in the trenches communicated, identified the defense and got in the right protections. They gave up just 3 negative plays, including only 1 sack.
Michigan got some great push in the run game, and the pullers were on point with finding their man to block and creating big seams.
The Wolverines’ unit paved the way for 172 rushing yards, 4.1 yards per carry, and it kept sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy upright. This was its best performance of the season, and it couldn’t have come in a bigger spot.
Biggest momentum shift
McCarthy played a clean game. He completed 18 of 24 passes for 155 yards and 1 touchdown with no interceptions.
He’s still learning, though, and had a huge blunder at the end of the third quarter. The quarterback was hit as he attempted a throw to sophomore running back Donovan Edwards, and instead of taking the sack with a defender in his face, he released the ball. It went backward and rolled on the ground until Edwards picked it up at the U-M 3-yard line for a loss of 21 yards.
That completely turned the momentum. Plenty of Iowa fans had already exited the building before the fumble, and the life was sucked out of the place. The Hawkeye faithful were reinvigorated after that, though, and Iowa kept fighting until the end. While it still would’ve been the biggest comeback allowed in Michigan history, it got dicey for a minute, but the defense came up big with a turnover on downs at the 5-yard line in the fourth quarter.
Most important stat
The most important stat is still that Michigan didn’t turn the ball over. And credit McCarthy for a lot of that, even though he did come close.
McCarthy fumbled twice with the offense recovering and nearly threw an interception last week against Maryland. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said on his postgame radio show that they were expecting and hoping for a couple big mistakes from the youngster making his first road start.
But Michigan was clean with very few instances of shooting itself in the foot. Against an Iowa team that had forced 7 turnovers heading into Saturday, including 5 interceptions, it’s a feat to be proud of.
Iron man
Thank goodness Edwards returned after missing the last two and a half games so that junior Blake Corum didn’t have to rush 30 times like last week.
Corum carried 29 times in this one, against one of the most physical defenses in the Big Ten and country. And boy, did Michigan need all of his grit and toughness. He racked up 133 yards, averaging 4.6 yards per rush, and scored on a 20-yard run with 1:26 left to seal the win.
Welcome back
Let’s not downplay Edwards’ return, though. He played a big role in this game, rushing 5 times for 29 yards (5.8 yards per carry) and catching 3 passes for 21 yards and a score. His touchdown reception displayed his awesome chemistry with McCarthy, with Edwards finding open space as the signal-caller scrambled. The ball was tipped by a Hawkeye, but Edwards was still able to come down with it in the back of the end zone.
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It was a positive to see senior left guard Trevor Keegan back in the lineup, too. He said he’s “feeling great,” after the win. Senior Karsen Barnhart warmed up and was available, as well. Michigan is getting healthier.
Underrated play of the game
Edwards also made an underrated play. A lot of frustration came along with McCarthy’s fumble, but it was Edwards who, at full speed, was able to corral the ball and make sure Iowa didn’t pick it up. Michigan punted it away, and while it wasn’t a great boot — just 36 yards to the U-M 44-yard line — it was much better than a turnover.
Biggest ‘almost’
Michigan senior cornerback DJ Turner damn-near ended the game right then and there. On a second-and-21 on the Michigan 26-yard line, Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras threw a pass intended for wideout Nico Ragaini. Turner jumped the route and had his hands on the ball but dropped it.
He couldn’t believe he let the Hawkeyes get away with one like that, and let the offense know they got a break. Turner had lots of running room, and it looked like he would’ve had a pick-six.
Up and down position group
The Michigan defensive line’s performance was a mixed bag of sorts. The Wolverines gave up only 35 rushing yards (Iowa had minus-31 yards on sacks) and got 4 sacks. It seems like nitpicking, but Michigan didn’t get much pressure on Petras in the first half, and Iowa did get a good amount of push up front on run plays.
Iowa averaged 4.3 yards per rush on first down, keeping it on schedule. The Hawkeyes’ offense is not a good group, as the stats show, but it still picked up a couple third-and-shorts and ran in a 2-yard score at the goal line.
But then the pressure came in the second half, particularly when the Wolverines needed to seal the win. Michigan picked on and abused Iowa right tackle Connor Colby, matching senior edge Mike Morris and graduate edge Eyabi Okie on him.
The Wolverines harassed Petras late, notching 4 fourth-quarter sacks.
Called game
Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter called Okie’s number late in the game, and Okie called game with a shared sack (with graduate edge Taylor Upshaw) on third-and-19. Petras threw an incompletion on the next play, and Okie was in his face once again with a quarterback hurry.
Michigan needs pass rushers to step up, and Okie is playing better and better with his role increasing.
Check off another one
As a player in the 1980s and now the head coach, Jim Harbaugh has now won at every Big Ten venue. And he’s certainly excited about getting this gritty win since he knows how tough it is to come out on top in Iowa City, his former home when his dad, Jack Harbaugh, coached the Hawkeyes’ secondary in the ’70s.
When Harbaugh was a Michigan quarterback, his squads went 0-2, including a 12-10 loss as the No. 2 team in the nation in 1985 (Iowa was the top-ranked squad). In 2016, the Maize and Blue came to Iowa City ranked No. 3 and lost 14-13.
This time, Michigan survived and has all of its goals in front of it heading into mid-October.
