Kinnick Nightmares: Why Michigan is in trouble against Iowa, atrocious offense and all
Even Jim Harbaugh understands that Iowa is where “Top Five teams go to die.” So Michigan football can’t overlook the Hawkeyes despite their horrid offense.
Michigan is on upset alert and everyone knows it.
The Wolverines are heading to Ames this weekend to take on a 3-1 Iowa team. However, if you look beyond the record, this matchup theoretically shouldn’t scare Michigan all that much.
After all, Iowa’s offense stinks like a garbage heap on a hot and muggy summer day.
So why does the upset special look so enticing? It’s Kinnick.
Why Michigan football is in trouble against Iowa
Kinnick Stadium is no easy place to win, especially if you’re a road team with a Top 5 ranking. In fact, the Hawkeyes have beaten five of the last six Top 5 opponents they have hosted.
Michigan was one of those in 2016 when they fell 14-13 to the Hawkeyes while ranked No. 2.
“[It’s where] Top 5 teams go to die,” head coach Jim Harbaugh admitted.
"I think it's more the team that's on the field, and they produce one that's really good every single year."
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 26, 2022
🗣️ Jim Harbaugh, on what makes @HawkeyeFootball so hard to beat at Kinnick Stadium pic.twitter.com/gsKyC8OC1D
Difficult atmospheres can absolutely impact performance on the field but even the most raucous crowd couldn’t account for an upset alone. The team has to be capable of pulling it off. That’s the question for Iowa.
Their offense has been unbelievably ineffective. They have scored five touchdowns in four games. Their 27-10 victory over Rutgers featured two defensive scores.
Those defensive contributions are really the hope for any upset bid. As bad as the Hawkeyes’ offense has been, the defense has been outstanding. The defense is why Iowa has three wins. They have yet to allow more than 10 points. They rank first in scoring defense, third in pass efficiency defense, sixth in rushing defense and sixth in total defense.
Michigan is their biggest test as a team averaging 50 points per game. The Hawkeyes have their home crowd on their side.
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