At 3-0, No. 17 Iowa visits No. 18 Michigan on Saturday for its Big Ten opener, with a playoff-resume win at stake. Michigan is favored by 5.5 points, but 71% of Iowa fans polled picked the Hawkeyes to win outright.
Michigan’s top-10 defense allows 220 yards per game and has surrendered 2.7 yards per carry and no rushing touchdowns through three games. Iowa quarterback Hank Brown has completed 72.6% of his passes for 473 yards, three touchdowns and no turnovers, but has never started a college road game.
The preview identifies turnovers as a potential Iowa advantage: Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood has put the ball on the ground in every game, and the Wolverines have lost four of six fumbles. Iowa’s turnover margin is plus-3, compared with Michigan’s minus-2. Michigan’s Friday availability report listed starting-caliber lineman Andrew Babalola out, Andrew Sprague questionable and the sixth-lineman package doubtful.
