Michigan vs. Iowa, predictions?

Submitted by victors2000 on

Why hasn't this been posted yet?? I don't want to comment on dog groomers or Nickleback.

So anyways, the weather is supposed to be good -well, for November anyways- and I think Denard will be ready to excise the ghost of his previous trip to Iowa City. Omg, that seems like 10 years ago for some odd reason, I wonder if it's in the back of his mind.

Without going into details, I think the team continues to improve as it has on a game to game basis, and I think we take yet another step to being the Michigan of yore...

Michigan 30, Iowa 24

bluebones

November 4th, 2011 at 1:20 PM ^

Iowa hasn't lost by more than a touchdown at home since 2007... which was incidently the same year in which Iowa last lost to Iowa State. But Michigan seems to always have trouble with big running backs. When was the last time we held even an average B1G team under 100yards rushing (MN, Purdue, NW don't count)? Its been a while. I say Coker goes for at least a 120. Hopefully Denard took his good arm to Iowa City because Iowa's cover 2 has halted our last two comebacks in 2010 and 2009. I'd say the wind will be in Iowa's favor. I expect a close game. The X factor is gonna be Vandenberg. 27-24 Michigan.

UMAmaizinBlue

November 4th, 2011 at 1:23 PM ^

1) Martin rearranges Vandenhenneberg's face with 2 sacks, all without even removing his helmet.

2) Lewan gets removed from the game, but not because of injury or being hotheaded. Instead it will be revealed that, fearing for their lives, the Iowa linemen had collectively filed restraining orders on Lewan and they will come into effect Saturday morning.

3) The Iowa fanbase attempts to enrage and distract Borges by chanting "Bubble Screen". It doesn't work, and only serves to put everyone in attendance on Borges Sr.'s shitlist.

4) Ferentz pulls a Zook and punts on 3rd down from the Michigan 12 yard line thinking that they're winning 75 - 3 and he should give Michigan some garbage time experience. It will also be the first drive of the game.

5) Hoke points at the walls in the locker room and they explode into electric Maize and Blue colors.

6) After losing to Michigan, Ferentz states that at least it wasn't for an ugly trophy of a pig. The Hawkeye faithful then proceed to tar and feather Saint Kirk.

Blue in Yarmouth

November 4th, 2011 at 1:23 PM ^

looking at a more lopsided win are the ones who will be right this time. I think for the first time all year we play a game where the offense and defense play well the entire game. I think going in to halftime it is already over. I am saying UM 42 Iowa 10.

uminks

November 4th, 2011 at 1:26 PM ^

I don't think IA will score more than 20 points on us. Only way we could lose is if the offense plays as poorly as it did against MSU and IA defense can get several turnovers. I don't think it will happen but being a road game the offense will make some mistakes but not enough to cause us to lose.

Michigan 31  Iowa 17

SysMark

November 4th, 2011 at 1:27 PM ^

Only way I can see this being close is if we start turning it over.  Otherwise we should win by three TDs - two if they score late in garbage time.  38-17.

Don

November 4th, 2011 at 1:27 PM ^

Iowa.

Michigan has played 8 quarters of football on the road this year, and played poorly in 6 of them. Iowa is a big, physical team, and I'm not yet convinced we're at the point where we can deal effectively with that, especially on the road. The fact that Kovacs, Lewan, and Barnum are not 100% doesn't help things, nor does the fact that DR and DG still turn the ball over at alarming rates.

ND Sux

November 4th, 2011 at 4:06 PM ^

level-headed posters on MGoBlog.  I might agree with you except Iowa hasn't looked good at all this year, even struggling at home.  I have a lot of respect for Iowa, but this is also the weakest Iowa D in YEARS. 

I have a lot of faith in this Michigan defense under Mattison.  Michigan 34, Iowa 24. 

Off-the-wall prediction: Gardner catches a TD from Denard. 

snoopblue

November 4th, 2011 at 1:28 PM ^

28-20.

I'm also going to take a deep interest in the LSU BAMA game, I want to see how good Bama is and also hoping and praying they lose a lot of players to the NFL so our opener next season is that much easier.

BRCE

November 4th, 2011 at 1:29 PM ^

I'm a bit perplexed at the margin predictions here. I'm very worried about our O-Line. We have six serviceable players and two of them appear to be hurt (including our most important one). We have no idea if Kovacs can play or not. It's on the road.

morepete

November 4th, 2011 at 1:31 PM ^

I still think this Michigan team is just better wired for adversity than any of the Rodriguez-era squads, so I'll say Michigan 38, Iowa 21. If we can get through this week and Illinois without a loss, I really feel like this could be a special season, not just a return to form...

bluebones

November 4th, 2011 at 1:32 PM ^

Everyone is putting waayyyyyy too much weight on last weeks MN loss. A terrible MN team beat a decent Iowa team in 2010. For whatever reason, MN plays Iowa tough. As does Northwestern (Idk why, but Northwestern has a knack for beating Iowa at Iowa City). Iowa's cover 2 D has a similar mentality as our D... bend but don't break. They are willing to give up some underneath stuff, but they don't seem to give up the big play often. I don't see the deep jumpball working this week which in the past few months has significantly moved the momentum in our favor. IMO, a 14 point win isn't realistic. If we win this game, it won't be by more than a score. 

markusr2007

November 4th, 2011 at 1:33 PM ^

Both teams are going to be able to move the ball on the ground.

I think Marcus Coker has another big day rushing the football vs. Michigan's defense, but VandenHenneThreetSheridammit is going to have some serious issues man.

Michigan 28

Iowa 20

It'll be a satisfying win for Michigan, but the sad bit is that Michigan's offense is going to closely resemble this statuesque, run-run-pass-punt Vanhindenburg business in about 3 years.  And half of UM's football fans are actually looking forward to that.  Unbelievable.

TimH

November 4th, 2011 at 2:38 PM ^

"...but the sad bit is that Michigan's offense is going to closely resemble this statuesque, run-run-pass-punt Vanhindenburg business in about 3 years. And half of UM's football fans are actually looking forward to that. Unbelievable."

 

I don't understand why you would think this.  If anything, Borges has shown an inclination to be too experimental (such as throwing a lot in the wind against MSU instead of running it more). 

ijohnb

November 4th, 2011 at 1:50 PM ^

I am not going to post a prediction at all. 

I am really concerned about this game.  I am concerned that Iowa is way better than we think.  I am concerned that Minnesota with Marquis Gray is a lot different than Minnesota without him.  I am also afraid that Penn State is a lot better than we think.  This combination of beliefs is making me scared to look at my TV between noon and 4:00 tommorow.  God, I really hope that my fear is misguided.

M-Go-Away

November 4th, 2011 at 1:51 PM ^

Why does it feel like I'm rereading the SDSU thread. Big RB or not Michigan defense is playing dare i say well. Iowa is a bad football team, albeit at home. Maize and Blue win by 15+. Book it
<br>

MGoRusty

November 4th, 2011 at 1:59 PM ^

I live here in Iowa, all my friends and fiance are Iowa fans...id love nothing more than to steam roll them. I've heard about our last few losses to them nonstop.

I think Vandenberg is a good qb and if we lose he's why. He has the ability to pick apart defenses if given time.

Their defense is much much worse than previous Iowa defenses. They really don't have that one big play maker. Steele Jantz (Iowa State QB) gave them fits all day. They usually struggle against dual threat QBs. DR could really have a huge day. Their defense lacks speed and for the most part talent.

My prediction UM- 34 UI- 10 but I also wouldn't be suprised to see a 3 point game. We should pound them, but Iowa is strangely good at home. I think Michigans speed plays the killer.

At hawkeyenation.com a hawk fan is guaranteeing we win by 40+ lol he's completely serious. His prediction UM-61 UI-9

mgowill

November 4th, 2011 at 2:06 PM ^

Breakdown by team.

Total Offense vs Total Defense

Offense - Michigan 441.2 YPG (24) - Iowa 403.9 YPG (53)

Defense - Michigan 332.9 YPG (21) - Iowa 417.4 YPG (72)

Rush Offense vs Rush Defense

Offense - Michigan 245.4 YPG (10) - Iowa 160.7 YPG (53)

Defense - Michigan 138.2 YPG (42) - Iowa 167 YPG (64)

Pass Offense vs Pass Defense

Offense - Michigan 195.9 YPG (87) - Iowa 243.1 YPG (50)

Defense - Michigan 194.6 YPG (19) - Iowa 250.4 YPG (84)

 

Obviously Michigan's glaring problem is passing offense while the rushing offense remains the staple.  Defensively I think that Michigan has exceeded fan expectations.  42nd in rushing defense and 19th (!) in pass defense far surpasses my expectations.  However, Michigan's offense has given me ulcers not reflective of their 7-1 record. Another big scary is that the 3 losses for Iowa only total a 14 point deficit.  10 of those were at Penn State!  So even with their mind boggling loss to Minnesota, you have to be nervous about this game.  It should also be noted that Iowa is 5-0 at home and 0-3 on the road!  This is why the line has dropped down to as low as 3-1/2 points, when the statistics far favor Michigan.  Iowa is capable of a win, but they will need help from Michigan to get it (turnovers).  We are clearly the best team on paper and should win by double digits.  Which Denard shows up tomorrow will be the key.

Prediction

Evil Denard and Tacopants stay home and Mike Martin has a glorious day

Michigan 37 - Iowa 18 

NYWolverine

November 4th, 2011 at 2:29 PM ^

It's November and Michigan is 7-1. On all accounts, improvement is happening every week, but we continue to temper our collective enthusiasm.

I'm tired of tempering. I feel like we're in a cage, and we keep telling each other, "guys, we can be as loud as we want in here, but we're not supposed to come out of the cage until 2013."

F*** THAT. I have the keys to the lock. They're Denard, Toussaint, Martin, RVB, Roundtree, Gallon, Kovacs and co. There's a master key too, called "BRADY GETS IT, and MATTISON DOES TOO."

I believe in this team. It's talented and it can go the distance.

Iowa is not a good team. Michigan is a good team. Iowa is for the birds. Michigan is hungry.

Michigan 35. Iowa 10ish.

MichiganStudent

November 4th, 2011 at 2:29 PM ^

I keep going back and forth on this game. I like Michigan and I'm relatively comfortable predicting a victory, but I have some feeling that Iowa is going to have some luck on their side...

 

Michigan 34-24 with Michigan trailing 21-17 at half.

ClearEyesFullHart

November 4th, 2011 at 2:31 PM ^

I predict that I will be heavily medicated thanks to our friends in Golden, Colorado.  Just to be safe. 

superstringer

November 4th, 2011 at 2:48 PM ^

I hate myself for thinking this way...

Last week, I thought it was going to be a defensive-oriented, last-possession-wins kind of game.  Thought Purdue would challenge us like they had in past years under the prior regime.  Thought we'd show the same struggles as we did vs. Sparty. 

So, well, about my accuracy... not so much.

This week, I look at Iowa and go, there's nothing there on defense.  We should be able to gash them and throw over and around them, and run up the score.  So that takes them out of Coger-ing us all game.  They can't run the ball 40 times when they are down 3 touchdowns in the 3d quarter.  They might move the ball but won't get into the endzone much.  Our turnovers won't kill us.

Good guys.........................45

Guys in black and gold.....17

Now don't hate me for predicting it.

WMUgoblue

November 4th, 2011 at 3:06 PM ^

To me this game feels just like last year, except the outcome is flipped. They score on us early, we put up loads of points to feel like the game is out of reach, they come back and we need a first down late to ice it. 38-28 Michigan.

BayWolves

November 4th, 2011 at 3:33 PM ^

Fitz and Shaw rack up 250 rushing yards, Denard throws for 4 touchdowns, and the Michigan D gets 3 ints. Iowa's rushing game goes for 130 yards but it ain't enough as Michigan runs away by the 3rd qtr.  Vandenberg has a bad, bad day trying to deal with Mattison's crazy blitzes.

 

Michigan 42

Iowa 17

superstringer

November 4th, 2011 at 4:02 PM ^

Wait.. you forgot the chip-shot field-goal-from-distance-of-a-PAT by Gibbons, when our OL can't get enough push on 3'd and close from the GL.  So you meant 45-17, not 42-17.  See my prediction a few posts up.