Remember Michigan’s controversial escape against Western Michigan? Well, three weeks later, the Wolverines got a taste of their own medicine. Iowa snatched a 20-19 victory with a last-second touchdown, turning the Big House into a sea of silence, interrupted only by the Hawkeyes’ celebrations.
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The sting cut even deeper as Kyle Whittingham and his staff seemingly sidelined Bryce Underwood in favor of a conservative approach that ultimately cost Michigan the game. Even on defense, Michigan shot itself with some late-game errors. According to Connor Stalions, who coached Bryce Underwood at Belleville High School, Michigan’s defensive formation was puzzling, to say the least.
“Michigan was in a press-man bracket with a spy on a Quarterback who plays football for Iowa,” wrote Stalions.
Underwood’s former coach and the person held most responsible for the sign-stealing scandal highlighted Michigan’s aggressive press-man coverage, with the Wolverines bracketing at least one receiver and assigning a spy to Iowa quarterback Hank Brown. But there was one glaring flaw in the strategy: Brown isn’t a dual-threat quarterback.
In the Week 4 game, Brown had negative four rushing yards. He was not looking to use his legs throughout the game. It’s not just a one-game sample. When Iowa defeated Northern Iowa by 55-0, Brown didn’t even register on the box score for rushing yards. Against Iowa State, he had 22 yards on 8 carries.
Michigan’s approach ultimately backfired, leaving the Wolverines to pay the price in a crushing defeat. But it wasn’t just how they set up that cost Michigan. The Wolverines gave a 15-yard penalty for a late hit in the final minute when Iowa was struggling to get a first down. The luck also favored the Hawkeyes at times.
On his part, Bryce Underwood delivered a career-best performance against the Hawkeyes, throwing for 276 yards and two touchdowns despite an interception. He repeatedly found Andrew Marsh and JJ Buchanan downfield, but the crown jewel was a 49-yard scramble-drill connection with Buchanan for Michigan’s second touchdown.
Underwood was playing the best football of his career, leaving Iowa’s defense scrambling for answers. Yet, despite his red-hot form, Michigan failed to trust him when it mattered most.
With the Wolverines leading 19-14 on 4th-and-8, cameras caught Bryce Underwood in a heated exchange with offensive coordinator Jason Beck, visibly frustrated by what was unfolding.
Instead of trusting Underwood to make the plays, Michigan attempted just two passes across its final nine offensive plays. The coaching staff stubbornly leaned on a ground attack that had struggled to find its rhythm all afternoon, repeatedly sending runners straight into Iowa’s defensive front.
The result? A predictable string of dead-end plays that yielded little and ultimately stalled Michigan’s offense. With just two minutes remaining, the Wolverines surrendered a 91-yard touchdown drive. And that wasn’t all. A conservative three-and-out left Michigan without the first down needed to run out the clock, forcing the Wolverines to punt the ball back to the Hawkeyes.
Hank Brown capitalized, orchestrating an 11-play, 91-yard march capped by a game-winning touchdown pass to Reece Vander Zee as time expired.
“We dominated them statistically, but that doesn’t matter,” head coach Kyle Whittingham said after the game. “The final score is all that matters.”
It was a gut-wrenching defeat for Michigan, one few saw coming. According to ESPN’s Win Probability Tracker, the Wolverines had a staggering 98.6% chance of beating Iowa. Yet, despite holding such overwhelming odds in their favor, what unfolded on the field was simply inexcusable.
“I ain’t ever lost a game like this,” Michigan safety Rod Moore said. “We’ve just got to get better. I’m just kind of like … Iowa’s a good team. We’re a great team. We should have executed better. That’s why I’m shaking my head — it kind of doesn’t make sense.”
Not trusting their QB in the final stretch ultimately contributed to Michigan’s crushing loss, but that wasn’t the only factor working against the Wolverines. Despite outgaining Iowa 429-285 in total yards, Michigan managed just 19 points, coming up empty on a fourth-and-short attempt and throwing a costly red-zone interception.
A 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown further dented their chances, while eight penalties for 75 yards, including a crucial personal foul on Iowa’s final drive, helped extend the game-winning possession.
With multiple factors contributing to Michigan’s downfall against Iowa, Kyle Whittingham must now take a hard look at where his team went wrong and make the necessary adjustments.