Iowa welcomed in the nation’s No. 4 team in the Michigan Wolverines hoping to recreate some Kinnick Stadium magic against another top-5 opponent for FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff.”
From the first series, Michigan made it clear that Iowa’s 5-1 mark against AP top-5 opponents in its past six games at Kinnick wasn’t improving to 6-1. The Hawkeyes also entered this contest having won their past four meetings over the Wolverines in Iowa City, but that streak was snapped as well.
Michigan (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) topped Iowa 27-14 to drop the Hawkeyes to 3-2 (1-1 Big Ten). Now that it’s in the record books, let’s take a look back at five of the lasting takeaways from this one for Iowa.
Another frustrating start offensively
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
Against a team like Michigan, it was imperative that Iowa found a way to get off to some form of a positive start offensively to keep the crowd engaged and make Kinnick a factor. That didn’t happen. Instead, excluding the run to Leshon Williams right before half, Iowa’s first five possessions netted five punts and 80 yards of total offense.
The Hawkeyes headed into the fourth quarter with 128 yards of total offense and no points, though the first play of the final frame was a 2-yard touchdown run from Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson. Versus the Wolverines at home and hoping to pull an upset, that just wasn’t ever going to cut it.
The defense struggled early, too
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
Upset-minded Iowa didn’t help itself much with the defensive start either. For a group that gets all of the flowers on this team, the Hawkeye defense got off to a poor start. Iowa got dinged for an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive right out of the gates on Michigan’s first possession. The Wolverines faced just the one 3rd-and-1 on that opening drive and it ended with Ronnie Bell waltzing 16…
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