How I Really Feel:
Frankly, I thought Iowa would squeeze past Michigan. What I did not expect was Michigan to so thoroughly dominate Iowa's running game.
I expected Bryce Underwood to run the ball effectively, although I thought Iowa would do a good job of containing him on passing downs when he tried to escape the pocket. Iowa has traditionally been very good at maintaining contain. What surprised me was how accurately Underwood threw the ball. He is a phenomenal player, and he looked every bit like a future star.
Footballs bounce unpredictably. On the tipped passes, Iowa received some incredibly fortunate bounces, and the Hawkeyes needed every one of them to win. I have watched a lot of Iowa football over the years, and I cannot remember an Iowa victory that depended so heavily on favorable deflections.
Iowa was ranked No. 14 in the AP Poll today. In my opinion, Michigan should have been ranked right behind them, at No. 15. Instead, the Wolverines were left completely out of the rankings, which understates how good this team actually is.
By the end of the season, I suspect Kyle Whittingham will have imposed his will on this team. The penalties and mistakes that hurt Michigan against Iowa are the sort of things strong coaching staffs correct over the course of a season. If Michigan develops into the disciplined, mistake-free team I expect it can become, you will take notice that you read it here, first.
Iowa got the win, and credit belongs to the Hawkeyes for making the plays that counted. But if we're being honest, this game was decided by a handful of fortunate bounces and a penalty-prone opponent. I do not think this is the last we will hear from Michigan this season. In fact, I would not be surprised if, by November, people are looking back at this game as a turning point in Michigan's season.
