Storylines for Iowa-Michigan game
1. The Hawkeyes are coming off one of the most disappointing setbacks under coach Kirk Ferentz — losing 22-21 at lowly Minnesota last Saturday – and now a week later Iowa faces one of the most explosive teams in the country in 13th-ranked Michigan.
2. A victory would give Iowa its first three-game winning streak against Michigan. Iowa has defeated Michigan two times in a row on three occasions, but not three times. The Hawkeyes came close in 1986 under former coach Hayden Fry, losing 20-17 in Ann Arbor, Mich., after having defeated Michigan by scores if 12-10 in 1985 and 24-0 in 1984. Iowa also defeated Michigan in 2002 and 2003 under current coach Kirk Ferentz, but failed to make it three years in a row by losing 30-17 in 2004.
3. Michigan junior quarterback Denard Robinson is one of the fastest players in college football, and one of the most productive. He already has 2,878 career rushing yards and owns six of the top 12 single-game rushing performances by a Big Ten quarterback. The Iowa defense, on the other hand, has struggled to contain elusive quarterbacks this season, the latest example being last Saturday when Minnesota quarterback MarQuies Gray finished with 255 total yards, including 62 on the ground.
4. Former Michigan assistant coach Brady Hoke was named the 19th head coach at Michigan on Jan. 11, 2011. Hoke spent eight seasons on Michigan’s defensive coaching staff from 1995-2002 before embarking on a head coaching career that started at Ball State in 2003. He coached at Ball State for six seasons, winning a school-record 12 games in 2008. Hoke was also named the 2010 Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year after leading San Diego State to a 9-4 record, marking the school’s most victories since 1996.
5. This will be Iowa’s first game against a ranked opponent this season, with Michigan ranked 13th in both wire-service polls.
6. Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison is the father of former Iowa defensive end Bryan Mattison and Michigan defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery is a former Iowa defensive lineman. Montgomery is originally from Mesquite, Nev., and he played at Iowa from 1998-01 under Hayden Fry. Mattison’s son, Bryan Mattison, played defensive end at Iowa from 2003-06 and now is center on the Baltimore Ravens.
Category: Iowa Hawkeyes Football
