BIG 10 Championship held at Lucas Oil Stadium

The Michigan Wolverines, the No.2 ranked team in the country beat the No.13 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes, 42-3. Under head coach Jim Harbaugh this is Michigan’s first appearance and win in the BIG 10 Championship.

The Wolverines game plan under Defensive Coordinator Mike Macdonald, was to stop the Iowa bootlegs, stop the run and contain tight end Sam LaPorta. Tyler Goodson, Iowa’s best running back only had 55 yards of rushing. In the second half, Macdonald sent an extra man to cover the bootlegs. Sam LaPorta was targeted 11 times and received 62 yards. Michigan’s defense held Iowa to only three points. The Wolverine defense even came up with a big fourth-down stop toward the end of the third quarter.

The Wolverines game plan offensively was to do what it has done best to run the football. In the first quarter, Michigan jumped out to a 14-0 lead. The first was a Blake Corum run that went for 67 yards for the touchdown. The next Michigan score came from wide receiver Donavan Edwards throwing a 75-yard touchdown throw to Roman Wilson on a trick play. These two touchdowns were a sign of Michigan’s dominance.

Michigan jumped out to a 14-0 lead. This was possible by a Blake Corum 67 yard touchdown run and Roman Wilson catching a trick play pass from Donavan Edwards. Wilson went 75 yards for the score. Iowa was able to get three points on the board because Michigan’s quarterback Cade McNamara threw an interception. After the interception, Iowa went down the field but failed to score. They kicked a 22-yard field goal which was good.

In the second quarter, Michigan and Iowa’s offenses stalled while both defenses were able to shine. Iowa’s punt team was able to put Michigan closer to the end zone so the drives would have to be longer for Michigan. Iowa’s offense was put into very long third downs where Michigan’s defense was able to stop. Neither team scored in the 2nd quarter.

 

In the third quarter, Iowa had received the 2nd half kickoff. Sam LaPorta was able to complete a third down and ten, with a good catch and run. Two plays later, Michigan came with a blitz to stop the third down. With this, Michigan was able to go 10 plays, 82 yards, 05:04 for the score. Hasan Haskins ran the ball into the endzone with the four-yard score. Michigan was up 21-3. The next Iowa drive was stopped short on 4th and three where Tyler Goodson caught the ball but was behind the line of scrimmage. 

Now Michigan put on the final touches on Iowa. Michigan went in four plays, one of them a 22-yard one-handed catch by Luke Schoolmaker to set up Hasan Haskins to have Michigan go up 28-3. After Iowa went three and out, Michigan went on an 8 play drive to set up Cade McNamara to throw a five-yard touchdown to Eric All. Michigan was now up 35-3. The final Michigan touchdown was started when Caden Kolesar intercepted quarterback Alex Padilla. Then freshman quarterback J.J. Mcarthy hands off to Donavan Edwards for the final Michigan touchdown.

Michigan dominated all three phases of the game. They came into the season unranked. Jim Harghbug’s future at the program was at stake. Now with the win over Ohio State and a win in Indianapolis, Harghbaugh is able to stay on the program till 2025.

No.2 ranked Michigan will play No.3 ranked Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinal game at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla. This game will be Friday, December 31 on ESPN.