Staff predictions: Michigan football vs. Iowa, Big Ten Championship game

For the second time in three years, Michigan and Iowa will face off in the Big Ten title game. The Hawkeyes, one of the nation’s most fundamentally sound defensive teams, took a unique route to get to Indianapolis this year, employing an “offense optional” approach.

RELATED: Keys to the Game: Michigan football vs. Iowa, Big Ten Championship

Word has it Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, after viewing the schedule and what each Big Ten West division teams had coming back, decided there was no way he was going to take a chance of blowing such a sure thing by “trying to score on offense.” He knew what he had on defense — outstanding as usual under Phil Parker — and after more than a quarter century at Iowa, he wanted to try something different.

Though his coaches allegedly talked him out of the punting on third down strategy many teams employed in the 1920s and the “out-safety them” approach … well, this isn’t much better. Losing Cade McNamara and Erick All pretty much cost them their offense — and to be fair, it wasn’t great when they were playing, either. You know it’s bad when you actually need one of them (All) to beat Michigan State at home.

But Michigan won’t take this one, or any other Big Ten championship game, for granted. Nor should they when there’s a title on the line. But you know it’s a mismatch when the biggest talking point before the game is whether conference commissioner Tony Petitti will be on hand to present the championship trophy to head coach Jim Harbaugh, and what kind of restraint the U-M coach will show.

We. Can’t. Wait.

Congratulations to Clayton Sayfie, who picked a 31-25 win over Ohio State last week to capture the title in the biggest game of the year. This week’s winner … well, will likely pick the Hawkeyes to finish under 7 points. The picks:

CHRIS BALAS: Winning 10 games with an offense that can’t move the ball across the street is an unbelievable accomplishment. But as Jon Jansen once told the folks at Penn State while getting off the bus, “We’re not Temple” (or, in this case, Minnesota, Nebraska, MSU, etc.). Michigan 30, Iowa 6

JOHN BORTON: Michigan destroyed Iowa in the Big Ten championship game two years ago, 42-3. The Hawkeyes didn’t stand a chance after the Wolverines got out in front in the first quarter, 14-3, and played shutout football the rest of the way against Iowa’s scoring-challenged offense. But if you’re looking for a repeat of that game, think again. These Hawkeyes are bigger, faster, stronger and carrying all the inside information on the Wolverines that former U-M quarterback Cade McNamara can deliver. They WILL be better, and not get blown out the same way they did the last time.

The champions of the Big Ten West and the Champions of the West meet up again. Something has to give. Michigan 34, Iowa 6

CLAYTON SAYFIE: Chubba Purdy, John Paddock, Gavin Wimsatt, Brendan Sullivan, Athan Kaliakmanis, Braedyn Locke: Those are the last six quarterbacks Iowa — which has a great defense if you look at statistics only — has faced. But the Hawkeyes made Penn State’s Drew Allar (25-of-37, 166 yards, 4 touchdowns) look like J.J. McCarthy. That means McCarthy is going to look even better.

Michigan is in a must-win situation, but this matchup is as advantageous as any team could hope for in a championship game. Iowa deserves credit for winning 10 games, but the Wolverines are on another level. There’s a reason why Vegas has Iowa’s team total at 2.5 points for each half. Michigan 34, Iowa 3

ANTHONY BROOME: The nation’s 130th-ranked offense (out of 130 teams) hasn’t shown an ability to play any semblance of respectable offense this year. They lack the elite offensive line, backs and tight ends that a typically great Iowa team would have. But this is an Iowa team that will test your discipline on both sides of the ball, which makes them an ideal opponent coming off of an emotional win over Ohio State. Expect a charged up Michigan team on Saturday night with Jim Harbaugh back on the sideline and their championship goals still ahead of them. The Wolverines grab their second shutout of the season. Michigan 38, Iowa 0

DOUG SKENE: One win away from the 2023 Michigan team posting their team picture in Schembechler Hall and joining the other fourth-something teams that did it before them.  There is no let down in this team at this point even though last week’s victory could be an excuse.  Not doubt that this year’s Hawkeyes play tough defense and have a good defensive front.  So did Penn State and Ohio State.  I’m interested in watching the new combo of Barnhart and Jones on the right side of the OL and seeing if the Michigan defense can get the shutout. Michigan 31, Iowa 3