There was a moment of discomfort. Iowa had a 2nd & 4 deep in Michigan territory, with the score 20-7 and plenty of time left for another unrushed possession. Cornerback DJ Turner, for our money Michigan’s best defender, lay on the ground surrounded by trainers. Around the nation, text threads of Wolverine faithful began prognosticating:

Easy TD here.
Where’s our pass rush?????!
I can’t believe I’m sayin this Iowa wants it more.
21-20 book it.
Yep. Gonna lose this weird game.
I hate Kinnick

But a quick throw to meaty Iowa TE Sam LaPorta was slammed down for no gain.

except the kids

A slippery cutback by RB Leshon Williams was stuffed after 1.5 yards. Standing on their 8 yard line, Michigan awaited their fate on a 4th and 2, and for some reason their fans were convinced 14 points hung in the balance.

and the kids.

It did feel weird to be worrying just then. After three sleepy quarters it seemed like Michigan was going to walk out of Kinnick with a good ol’ fashioned slow-motion whomping. The offense accepted the opening kickoff and efficiently moved the ball down the field, the line taking care of the first 3-4 yards, and Blake Corum supplying another 3-7 when the next level arrived. McCarthy just missed his one deep shot—to a very wide open Roman Wilson—but provided the accurate outs and checkdowns that were required to game manage a win against the Game Managers. Corum had 29 carries for 133 yards, with Donovan Edwards chipping in 29 yards on 5 carries.

They weren’t breaking them big, but that’s tough to do when facing the #1 defense with All-Americans like MLB Jack Campbell hunting them down. Michigan scored on its first drive with a beautiful Ronnie Bell end-around on which TE Luke Schoonmaker reversed course on a cross to lead Bell to the endzone. Their third drive was promising, and featured a truly Hart-like pile-carry by Corum, but died on a poorly executed speed option that McCarthy pitched without forcing Campbell to commit to him. Another long drive, this one with a great McCarthy throw to Andrel Anthony in The Hole, also sputtered out with a field goal. In between, Iowa had a few of their patented rollouts, but otherwise their best offensive play of the first half was their receiver falling down to draw a holding penalty on Rod Moore. Iowa tried a fake kneel at the end of the 2nd quarter, but Michigan wrangled it down after six yards and took a 13-0 lead into halftime, with a 236 to 91 advantage in yardage.

[After THE JUMP: Fewer texts, subtle flavors of booing]

--------------------------

Might have to draw this one up. [Barron]

Coming out of the half it looked like the Wolverines were ready to put it away. Iowa went three and out, and Corum, McCarthy, Schoonmaker, and Bell keyed a quick march down the field. McCarthy dodged a defensive end, rolled out, and found Donovan Edwards in the back of the endzone for what felt an insurmountable 20-0 lead.

They were the winning points, but as the 3rd quarter rolled along, the tenor of the text threads began to shift. DJ Turner stepped in front of a deep hook but dropped what could have been a pick-six and a 27-0 “that’s it.” On Michigan’s ensuing possession, JJ McCarthy tried to escape a sack in progress with a backwards pass. Donovan Edwards raced back and fell upon the ball at the Michigan 3, but the huge loss meant Iowa got the ball in good field position. Given new life, Iowa slipped a fullback into the flat for a chunk. After taking a personal foul, Iowa converted a 3rd and 22 when Mike Sainristil fell down in coverage. That went out at the 2 yard line and set up Iowa's first touchdown.

Michigan had a quick three-and-out and Iowa kept the momentum. Petras laid in a tip o’ the hat seam pass to LaPorta against good coverage by LB Junior Colson. Leshun Williams dodged Mazi Smith at the line of scrimmage for a big 3rd and 7 conversion, and LaPorta fought through an RJ Moten TFL attempt to set off the tempest of four-letter texting and set up the afore mentioned 4th and 2.

Here the tip of the cap goes to Hawkeye offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, who drew up a quick outside pass short of the sticks. Ball, receiver, and a penalty flag for offensive pass interference all hit the ground. The texts stopped as Iowa fans commenced a booooo-but-not-for-yoouuuuuuu that communicated a nuanced frustration not targeted at the players.

The threads would not be silenced for long. A bog typical run-run-incomplete-punt sequence gave the ball back to the Hawkeyes, though thanks to punter Brad Robbins’s bouncing liner, that drive was moved back to the Iowa 42. It would get no further. Mike Morris started the crucial drive with an authoritative sack from outside RT Connor Colby on 1st down, and caused an errant throw by coming inside Colby on the next play. On 3rd and 19, Eyabi Okie beat Colby a third time, just barely getting his hand on Petras and yanking him down. Okie came through on a well-designed stunt on 4th and 24, and Michigan had the ball back with 2:30 remaining.

The #1 defense in the country wasn’t enough to stop the #1 back in the country. [Barron]

Michigan’s offense found their footing again, and once again it was thanks to the steady feet of their offensive line and Blake Corum. Finally breaking out into space with Campbell, Corum shimmied a shoulder inside, Campbell bought it, and Michigan’s superstar ran it in to make it 27-7. Iowa pushed the ball downfield under soft coverage for a face-saving late touchdown, but used up most of the little clock remaining. Michigan fielded the ensuing pop kick and kneeled once more to become just the second top-5 team in six tries to leave Kinnick with a victory, and the first to do so by more than two points. DJ Turner returned to the game on Iowa’s penultimate drive, but via Michigan Radio, WR Roman Wilson was taken to the locker room and did not return.

A banged up Wolverine squad got back Edwards and LG Trevor Keegan for this one, but LB Nikhai Hill-Green was still absent, and true freshman Jimmy Rolder appeared in the rotation ahead of Kalel Mullings, with Michael Barrett going most of the way. They have another Big Ten road trip next week to Bloomington before their first ranked foe, Penn State, comes to town in two weeks. There will be some moments to analyze, but Michigan passed a (mostly one-sided) test as tough as last week’s, and since they were kind enough to play this one at noon Michigan fans now get to enjoy the rest of thus-far lovely Midwestern October Saturday. I can’t wait to see what my friends have been saying about Maryland-MSU.