Credit Aaron J. Thornton
The number two ranked Michigan Football team routed the #13 Iowa Hawkeyes 42-3 on their way to their first Big Ten title since 2004 and first National Championship playoff birth. The Hawkeyes offense never took flight, being held to only a field goal in the game.
The game started with a moment of silence for the victims of the Oxford High School (Michigan) shooting that occurred earlier in the week. The family members of Tate Myre, one of the victims of the school tragedy, were at the game and took part in an honorary coin toss.
Michigan received the ball to start the game but the first drive ended with a punt after a quick three and out. Iowa then drove the ball downfield into the red zone, only to be stopped by a Michigan stingy defense that hadn’t allowed a touchdown in the first quarter since their opening game. Iowa attempted a 33-yard field goal but missed, keeping the score at 0-0. Michigan took over from that spot and on the first play of that drive, Running Back Blake Corum broke loose for a 67-yard touchdown run, the longest of his career putting Michigan up 7-0.
The Wolverines defense held again on Iowa’s second drive, forcing a three and out. On Michigan’s next possession, they added more points to the scoreboard using a trick play. Running Back Donovan Edwards received a pass in the backfield, looked up and then threw a perfect pass 75 yards downfield to an open Roman Wilson for a touchdown. The Hawkeyes would then put together another impressive drive downfield getting all the way to the Michigan 4 yard line but could not score a touchdown. They would then get their first and only points settling on a made field goal making the score 14-3.
The rest of the first half was a defensive battle, each team forcing punts through the second quarter. Going into halftime, the score was Michigan 14 – Iowa 3.
In the second half, Running Back Hassan Haskins scored his first touchdown of the game in the 3rd quarter on a 4-yard run giving Michigan an 18 point lead. But it was once again the Michigan defense coming up big throughout the quarter, continuously stalling any drives by the Hawkeyes.
The Maize and Blue continued to dominate in the fourth quarter, and even the special teams made the highlight reel. Michigan’s Cornelius Johnson blocked an Iowa punt, giving Michigan the ball with great field position at the Iowa 36 yard line. The Wolverines would take advantage, getting a spectacular one-handed catch by Tight End Luke Schoonmaker for a 22 yard gain. Then it was Haskins again, scoring his second touchdown of the game (20th of the season) on a 2-yard run increasing the lead to 25 (28-3).
Michigan would score two more touchdowns in the game, one by Tight End Erick All and another by Edwards. Iowa had no answers for the Wolverine defense that stood tall throughout the game led by Defensive End Aidan Hutchinson. He added another sack in the game (his record-breaking 14th of the season), was awarded the Big Ten Championship Game MVP, and further solidified why he should be in the Heisman Trophy conversation for the nation’s most outstanding college football player.
The Wolverines (12-1) will now wait to find out where they will play in their first-ever college football playoff on New Year’s Eve, continuing to work toward accomplishing their goal of a national championship.
Final Score: Michigan 42 – Iowa 3
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