B1G CCG: M vs Iowa - what are the keys to the game?

1. Land at 9am Local in Auckland

2. Find a local bar that has US Fox feed 

3. Convince wife that football > a nap

4. Victory

1) Don't give up a big special teams play to Iowa (e.g. punt return for a TD or blocked punt setting up very short field or a direct TD).

2) Don't be worse than -2 in TO margin.

If UM manages both of those conditions, they should win by a minimum of two TDs. Iowa is probably the worst 10-2 Power 5 team I have ever seen.

Score more points than Iowa.

don’t turn the ball over

get hang times on punts

win

If we don't turn the ball over and play like we are playing for a CFP spot (which we are), Iowa has close to a 0% chance of keeping this game to within three scores.  If we turn it over, I expect a game that goes well into the third quarter with Michigan pulling away in the fourth.

We're probably going to turtle again because the way Michigan loses this game is by giving up a pick-six, a punt return TD and a safety.

Don't turn the ball over or give up big plays and three FGs ought to do it.

Thursday, November 30th - Schembechler Hall, Ann Arbor

Jim Harbaugh surveyed his assembled charges and paused to gather his thoughts.

"I... just want you to know how proud I am of all of you.  Mighty men and women of Michigan football.  You showed toughness and true grit.  Now we have a big game coming up this Saturday versus Iowa and....MINTER!"

Everyone's gaze spun to the young defensive coordinator who was scrolling though an iPad and chuckling.

Minter met Harbaugh's glare with an easy grin.  "Sorry, Coach.  But there's this site called MGoBlog and they've already done a breakdown of Iowa's offense.  Here, lemme bring it up."  He swiped his screen and an image came up on the projector with the words 'Fee Fi Fo Film: Iowa Offense 2023'  "Trust me, I've got this."

Harbaugh silently scrolled through, nodding curtly at times.  "Yeah, this is good stuff by this Alex guy"

"Yeah, his notes match my own a lot.  I was actually thinking about giving him a call since we do have an open position for an analys... which yeah, I guess we're not supposed to talk about that."

"I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHERE SETH FISHER IS RIGHT NOW!," hooted Quinten Johnson "WHAT HE SAID ABOUT ME BEING CYAN... I CANNOT BELIEVE!"  The room rippled with laughter.

Harbaugh ignored them.  Finally he looked up.  "I like these guys - they attack football with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.  Alright, Minter, what's the next feature on this MGoBlog I should look at?"

"Well um...." Minter grinned at Mike Hart staring Don't you dare daggers at him.  "Try searching up 'Draftageddon'"

I see a lot of no turnover talk and that’s probably a good idea but if we score 30 we can probably still turn it over 4 times and win. So I’d say game plan like you’re playing a team that can actually play offense as practice for the playoffs.

This Iowa team being basically 11-1 is peak B1G West football. Iowa is good but theyre propped heavily by the horrible offenses theyve played

I think it’ll be more of the same again. Iowas defense is good but eventually Michigan will score and Iowas offense is gonna keep losing them the field possession game

Don't get injured! That's it

Score a single touchdown

#1 - Score more points then we allow.

#2 - Stay healthy

End of list

I think this frequently repeated comment that Iowa would be 11-1 if not for one bad call is hilarious.  You could equally say they would be in the range of 8-4 or 7-5 if they didn't find increasingly hilarious ways to win games against B1G West teams, frequently through some sort of their opponent's self-destruction.

Show up. Iowa can’t score against anyone…let alone one of the top defenses in college football. 

To have more points on the scoreboard with the clock hits 0:00 in the 4th qrt.  Everything else is irrelevant.  ~ Coach Harbaugh

Go Blue!

Don't turn the ball over, that is the only way they win, and even then it is unlikely.

Based on the Iowa hype video, apparently for them, it's punting. 

1. NO TURNOVERS.  The only way Iowa wins is if Michigan commits multiple turnovers that Iowa can turn into points.  I love JJ's creativity, but for one week, just throw the ball away or at least don't throw back across your body.  

2. See number 1.  

3. Mix in outside runs to keep the duo viable, hit the LB's with PAP from time to time, be willing to settle for field goals.  Getting out of this with a 13-3 win is fine, we don't need style points from the committee anymore

Iowa's program is set up to force teams against their will to play the style of game that Michigan is very happy to play.  We will have tight ends and backs matched up on linebackers that JJ will hit all night.  We will play in a phone booth and move 2-6 yards at a time all night.  We will leave the flashy wide receivers out of it if coverage dictates that, as opposed to forcing interceptable balls.

If everything goes well for Iowa, they will die a slow, two and a half hour death.  If it goes wrong for them, they will die a 45 minute death. 

Scoring more points than Iowa … Michigan is focused so there are no keys to worry about … they will win 

Iowa and Michigan are similar teams except that Michigan is better at every position and significantly better at the skill positions.

1. Don't take Iowa lightly.  They somehow win football games.    

2. Take care of the ball and Iowa likely won't score more than 10 points.  

3. Step on their throat early and don't let them hang around.  

Tommy Doman

Get an early lead with a pass/run combo to keep 'em guessing.

Heavy on the run in the 2nd half to eat up clock.

Control the line of scrimmage.

No turnovers for Michigan, create a few on Iowa.

Score more than they do...7 should do it! 

Seriously, no turnovers and execute and it'll be a blowout

Score at least 2 points

Treat this like early season games. Score early and often, get the starters out as quickly as able.

300 yards, 0 or 1 turnovers, and no long returns allowed should be more than enough to win this one.

Play like you are playing in a championship game. Because you are. 
 

Give Iowa respect. We all laugh at their offense, but I don’t want our defense disrespecting them in that way. In fact, I’d love to see the D give Iowa a taste of their own medicine - score a defensive TD. Michigan will likely be annoyingly conservative at times on offense, because it’s incredibly obvious Iowa wins only if they can force some turnovers. I just hope they let JJ air it out a little bit - being conservative doesn’t mean taking no chances.

Just play the game the same way we have all year . Dont go in cocky.

Save that until we are up big in the 3rd quarter .

Avoid giving them good field position, run up tempo a bit to tire their defense out. They're used to winning games 13-10, so if you score more than 2 TDs you'll really deflate them. Their offense also turns the ball over more than a usual Iowa team. 

Side note, a lot of Iowa people feel somewhat good about this game. It's crazy the level of PTSD this conference has when it comes to Ohio State, because literally every team feels they match up better with Michigan than OSU and it's a small blessing they get to play us. It's honestly weird. 

I've also noticed some Iowa people say that OSU proved you can run on Michigan. I don't think they realize Iowa doesn't have multiple 1st round WRs to worry about. I also see them mention how they limited PSU from having any explosive plays, without realizing PSU's problem in every game has been their lack of explosive plays. 

Their defense is legit good, and I'm not saying Michigan is dropping 50 on them, but to think that your defense is better than PSU, Michigan and OSU this year even though they play no real offenses and they can hold Michigan to 10-13 points like they do everyone else seems off.

Score more than 2-3 points and Michigan should be alright.

Score more points than they do.

What was the score of the Iowa Penn State game? Let's sorta follow that game plan.

1) Stay healthy 

2) Don’t take Iowa for granted. They can’t score, but they can play defense, and they’re built to lull you into making mistakes. They also have nothing to lose, so if Ferentz has anything up his sleeve left on the play sheet, it’s probably coming out tomorrow. 

3) Just don’t play the game on their terms. Don’t let it become an ugly slopfest that they are comfortable playing. 

Honestly, the keys tomorrow are really just mental, because on a man-to-man basis, Iowa has no way to line up play ball with Michigan. But don’t take them for granted, avoid the emotional letdown, don’t commit a ton of turnovers, and they should be fine. 

No turnovers on offense. Make the goal on D a shutout for the 1st teamers. No injuries.

Don’t commit targeting in the second half.