Dating back to a 24-23 win in 2008 over Penn State, Iowa has made a history of dispatching of top-5 foes inside Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes have gone 5-1 in their past six games in Iowa City against top-5 ranked teams in the Associated Press Poll.
That stretch includes last season’s 23-20 win over the Nittany Lions. Of course, then-No. 2 Michigan fell in Kinnick back in 2016, 14-13. Keith Duncan delivered a game-winning, 33-yard field goal as time expired to send the Hawkeyes into the victory circle in that contest.
Along the way, Iowa also picked up a 37-6 win over then-No. 5 Michigan State in 2010 and the famous 55-24 rout of Ohio State during the 2017 season. The lone setback was No. 4 Penn State topping Iowa, 21-19, earlier in that 2017 season.
Suffice it to say, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is more than familiar with the terrors that Kinnick Stadium and Iowa City can provide. Michigan heads to Kinnick ranked as the nation’s No. 4 team in both the AP Poll and the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll.
Harbaugh is doing his best to make sure his Wolverines are on guard in terms of what they’re in for.
“As they say, where top-five teams go to die. I think the biggest thing is just how good the team is,” Harbaugh said when asked what makes Kinnick Stadium a tough place to play.
Meanwhile, Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz was asked why his program has historically risen up to the challenge and made a habit of downing top-5 opponents inside the environment at Kinnick Stadium.
“Well, the environment is easy. You know, our fans do a great job, and certainly it’s gotten even better now with the north end zone. That’s helped a great deal as well, but I think the important thing for our team to understand is that the fans can only do so much, and that they’ve been great and we appreciate that, but we’d better be playing on the field.
“I think the challenge, the games you referenced and this one hopefully will be like that, our…
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