For the first time this season, No. 19 Michigan football will be on perhaps the Big Ten's biggest stage.
Michigan (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten) is set to host No. 20 Iowa (2-0, 0-0) at 3:30 p.m. on CBS when the two meet on Saturday, Sept. 26 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, the school has announced.
Michigan has bounced around with kickoff times this season, opening the year under the lights at 7:30 on NBC against Western Michigan, playing at noon against Oklahoma, and now scheduled for a 3:30 kickoff time on Big Ten Network in Week 3 against UTEP.
Each of U-M's first two games proved to be dog fights, with the Wolverines tied or trailing in the final nine minutes of both contests. Each time, however, they were able to rise to the task. First against Western,
when a second chance at a Hail Mary with one second on the clock proved to be enough as Bryce Underwood found JJ Buchanan on a 47-yard game-winning touchdown as time expired.
While the next week wasn't quite as dramatic, it was far from a cakewalk. Michigan led No. 10 Oklahoma 10-0 at the half, then gave up 10 straight points to find itself tied in the fourth quarter. Then with less than nine minutes to play, OU QB John Mateer dropped back and rifled a ball over the middle that Troy Bowles got the tip of his finger on before Jyaire Hill jumped in front of the crossing route to intercept the pass and set up U-M's offense with first-and-goal.
Two plays later, a 1-yard Jordan Marshall touchdown proved to be the difference.
Iowa comes in off a tight win, too, after topping Iowa State 16-13 in the Cy-Hawk matchup with rival Iowa State. The Hawkeyes, as is often the case, struggled on offense. Kirk Ferentz's team ran 29 times for just 93 yards without a single carry of 10 yards and passed for just 191 yards with only one play of more than 13 yards.
It should come as little surprise, however, Phil Parker's defense was up to the challenge. Iowa State was just 4-of-13 on third down, had even less total offense (255 yards) than Iowa, and the Hawkeyes didn't beat themselves, with no turnovers and just four penalties for 25 yards.
Iowa took over possession on its own 45 with less than five minutes to play and was able to go 31 yards on nine plays before kicker Caden Buhr drilled a game-winning 45-yard field goal with 15 seconds to play. Iowa didn't do anything special this game, it simply played sound football.
In other words, through two weeks, this looks like a standard Iowa team.
Michigan has won four consecutive matchups against Iowa with two coming in Big Ten championship games (2021 and 2023). This will be the first time U-M hosts Iowa in Ann Arbor since 2019, when the Wolverines grinded out a 10-3 victory.
Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football getting CBS spotlight for game against Iowa
