A week ago, #17 Iowa locked up the Big Ten West and a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game. Now we know who the Hawkeyes will be facing in that game -- after a 30-24 victory over #3 Ohio State in Ann Arbor earlier today, #2 Michigan is heading to Indianapolis.
The 2023 Big Ten Championship Game is set to take place on Saturday, December 2 at 7:00 PM CT at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. FOX will have TV coverage for the game.
The 12-0 Wolverines completed their second consecutive undefeated regular season. Michigan has only lost once in its last 26 games and has lost only one regular season game since the beginning of the 2021 season.
The last time Iowa and Michigan met was during the 2022 regular season; the Wolverines beat Iowa 27-14 in a game that wasn't as close as the final score might suggest. Michigan led 20-0 after three quarters and Iowa's second touchdown of the game came with just 8 seconds remaining in the contest.
This will be Iowa's third appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game; the Hawkeyes went 0-2 in their previous two title game appearances. This will be Michigan's third appearance in the Big Ten Championship, as well as the Wolverines' third consecutive title game appearance. Michigan has won both of its previous title game appearances.
The 2023 Big Ten Championship Game will be a rematch of the 2021 title game, which was won by Michigan, 42-3. That game featured quarterback Cade McNamara and tight end Erick All, both of whom transferred to Iowa before the 2023 season. Neither McNamara nor All will feature in this game, as both sustained season-ending injuries earlier this year.
McNamara and All join a lengthy list of absentees for Iowa entering this game; the Hawkeyes will also be without Luke Lachey and Cooper DeJean for the game. In addition, Logan Jones and Diante Vines missed Friday's 13-10 win over Nebraska with an injury and Gennings Dunker and Kaleb Brown both left that game with injuries and did not return; the availability of all four players for the Big Ten Championship Game is uncertain at this point.
Michigan and Iowa feature two of the top defenses in college football this season. Entering today, Michigan and Iowa ranked 1st (9.0 ppg) and 4th (12.2 ppg), respectively, in scoring defense and 2nd (234.8 ypg) and 7th (279.8 ypg, respectively in total defense. Michigan also ranks 7th in rushing defense (90.0 ypg) and 2nd in passing defense (144.8 ypg), while Iowa ranks 19th in rushing defense (105.6 ypg) and 10th in passing defense (174.3 ypg). By any measure, these are two absolutely ferocious defenses.
The difference between the two teams is that the Wolverines pair that stout defense with a potent offense as well. Entering today, Michigan ranked 11th in scoring offense (38.3 ppg). Iowa ranks 124th in scoring offense (18.0 ppg).
Michigan has been led on offense by junior QB J.J. McCarthy and senior RB Blake Corum. McCarthy leads the Big Ten in completion percentage (73.8%) and had thrown for 2,335 yards and 18 touchdowns against only four interceptions prior to Saturday. Corum ranked third in the Big Ten in rushing entering Saturday (888 yards), but he's been unstoppable near the end zone -- his 22 rushing touchdowns this season are five more than any other player in the nation and more rushing touchdowns than 95 teams had totaled entering Saturday's games.
We'll have much more on Iowa-Michigan and the 2023 Big Ten Championship Game throughout the week.
