Perhaps the title for this Iowa vs. Michigan matchup should have been “First One to Twenty Wins!” It proved to be a classic Big Ten defensive chess match laced with clutch offensive plays. The Hawkeyes defense found a way to bend like a tree in a hurricane, staying just close enough to close the deal. Michigan looked incredibly physical and athletically gifted, creating a rollercoaster of emotions for fans as it seemed a Wolverine tsunami might roll in at any moment – until the final whistle.
Why
Michigan appeared so athletic may be behind the recent recruiting classes. A comparison of the number of five-star and four-star high school football recruits for Michigan and Iowa from the class of 2023 through the class of 2026 from 247Sports Composite data shows a huge blue-chip disparity between the two programs. Over the last four years, Michigan football has 4 five-stars and 53 four-stars (57 total blue-chip prospects). Conversely, Iowa football signed 0 five-stars, and 21 four-stars (21 total blue-chip prospects).
58 Yards Rushing and Somehow Iowa Wins
If I had told you before the game that Iowa would end up with only 58 yards rushing would you have believed that they beat Michigan in the Big House? Can you believe it still? That resilience sets this Iowa team apart from those of the past seven-plus years. Far, far from perfect. But passing capability improved to the point that they could march 91 yards in 11 plays in 1:46 and will themselves to victory. A culture win. Per CBSSports research, “in the last 30 years Michigan has only lost 2 home games when out-gaining opponent by 100+ yards: Iowa 2026 Iowa 2010.”
Fielding Punts
Iowa’s ability to cleanly field punts has been a concern since the start of the season, and it is still not corrected. Late in the first quarter Evan James muffed the catch on a 40-yard punt from Michigan but fortunately recovered his own fumble. Way too close for comfort. Late in the fourth quarter, right before Iowa’s game-winning final drive, Michigan punter Cameron Brown boomed a long punt. Instead of calling for a fair catch or attempting a return, James let it roll. The ball took a favorable Michigan roll and pinned the Iowa offense at their own 9-yard line. A better approach in the interim would be to have Reece Vander Zee reliably fair catch punts against high octane opponents and then see when Zach Lutmer is healthy enough to work into the rotation, while James gains experience in less critical situations.
Defensive Standouts
Zach Lutmer lead the way with 12 total tackles, 7 solo. Not far behind was Cam Buffington with 11. Jayden Montgomery had Iowa’s lone sack on the day. Jacob Wallace was active on pass defense and ended up with 3 passes defended on the day. In the fourth quarter Wallace came oh so close to a pick six when Michigan was backed up next to their goal line. Deshaun Lee, a high school football teammate of Bryce Underwood at Belleville High School in Belleville, Michigan, intercepted Underwood early in the third quarter during Michigan’s opening drive of the second half. Lee intercepted the pass at the Iowa 2-yard line, which was likely a game winning turnover for Iowa.
The Picture of Hank Brown Gradually Comes into Focus
There are limited data points on Hank Brown at this early juncture, with many questions that understandably abound. Could Hank handle the pressure of a big game? Could he go into a hostile environment on the road in front of 100,000 plus and pull out an upset win? The early indication is that the answer to both questions is yes. For this game, Brown was 21/35 passing for a 60% completion rate, and two clutch touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Post game, ESPN’s QBR for Brown is 85.8, higher than Underwood’s 72.7. The lack of an interception is the difference maker for that rating.
The trend is beginning to emerge. Over four games, Brown’s completion percentage is sitting at 68% (quite good for a QB in his first four games starting for the Hawks), and he has yet to throw an interception. Brown was sacked twice in this game, although they were his first two sacks of the season. The downside is that Iowa’s passing offense is in the lower half of the B1G conference and OSU is next up.
Passing Distribution & RVZ
Iowa did have some decent passing distribution in this game. Three different wide receivers accounted for 10 receptions for 126 yards, three different tight ends accounted for 8 receptions for 93 yards, and two running backs for 3 receptions for 8 yards. Reece Vander Zee was the receiving hero of the game with two clutch TDs in the fourth quarter. The first on a slant pass to give Iowa an unexpected 14-13 lead, and the game winning back shoulder catch in the end zone as time expired. Iowa ended with 227 yards passing on the day.
Injuries
It was highly visible that Tyler Brown was hobbled when Michigan exploited his injury for a 49-yard touchdown pass to JJ Buchanan and he appeared to favor his left leg. While cleared to play, LJ Phillips did not register any snaps against Michigan. There were not any apparent injuries to other players during the game.
National Visibility for Iowa
ESPN GameDay will be in Iowa City on Saturday for the first time in 20 years. I just might swing by and check it out for a bit. Look me up if you’re there – I’ll be easy to spot – I’ll be the rabid Hawkeye fan wearing black & gold! But seriously, the upside of playing Michigan and OSU back-to-back to open conference play is the free national exposure it brings. There was a massive influx of recruits at the ISU game for multiple sports, and the infomercial continues to roll out the black & gold carpet. It is worth noting that Iowa put together one of its best recent four-star hauls in the 2026 cycle, signing 8 four-star recruits to finish 27th nationally in the composite rankings. Let’s hope the 2026 wave continues into 2027 and beyond.
