How to Watch the Iowa Hawkeyes at Michigan Wolverines

The training wheels come off today. Your #17 Iowa Hawkeyes open Big Ten play with their first road trip of the season. As if that wasn't difficult enough, it's the front end of as daunting a three-game stretch as any team in the country will face this year: at #18 Michigan today, #7 Ohio State at Kinnick next Saturday, then a short-week trip to Washington the following Friday. The season's ceiling gets defined over these next three weeks and it all starts today.

Iowa arrives 3-0 and rolling after their dominant non-conference finale performance. The Hawkeyes thumped Northern Iowa 55-0 while resting DJ Vonnahme , Kamari Moulton and L.J. Phillips Jr. Despite the starters sitting on offense, Iowa still ran for 422 yards behind three different 100-yard rushers, the first time that's happened in 40 years. Xavier Williams alone went for 151 and three scores on just six carries.

Perhaps more important than the impressive showing on the ground was what we learned under center as the quarterback question is finally answered. Hank Brown was listed atop the week four depth chart with the "OR" finally gone after a literally perfect day against UNI: 12-for-12 for 153 yards and two touchdowns. On the season he's completing 72.6% of his passes for 473 yards and three scores without a turnover, a start no Iowa quarterback has ever matched through three games. The catch: he has never started a road game at any level, and his first one comes in the largest stadium in the country.

Michigan enters the day technically unbeaten, just like the Hawkeyes. But the Wolverines ' 3-0 has come with much more drama. Kyle Whittingham's first win in Ann Arbor needed a disputed final play to survive Western Michigan.

The Wolverines bounced back from what will forever be an asterisk win to look much better in their win over then-#11 Oklahoma . They wrapped up their non-conference slate by sleeping through a half against UTEP before finally looking like the kind of team we thought they could be in the preseason.

The offense has sputtered despite the millions spent to acquire Bryce Underwood : Michigan sits 62nd nationally in scoring (27.3 per game) and 98th in total offense. Underwood is completing 62.5% of his throws with three touchdowns against one interception and he leads the team in rushing with just 156 yards on the season.

While the numbers aren't impressive for a season rushing total, Underwood's legs are still the thing that can beat you, which makes the assignment for Iowa's defensive ends the same one they aced two weeks ago: keep the quarterback in the pocket without letting him get comfortable. Jaylen Raynor managed 18 yards on 8 carries in that dress rehearsal, but Iowa also never sacked him. Phil Parker will want both halves of the equation this time.

Expect points to be scarce. Both of these defenses rank top-20 nationally in scoring and top-10 in total defense, and the best comp we have is fresh: Iowa State's defense ranks right alongside Michigan's in both categories, and Iowa managed 16 points and 284 yards in the Cy-Hawk game. The books agree, with the line opening at Michigan -4.5 and nudging to -5.5 later in the week, with the over/under sitting at just 38.5 total points.

Then there's the history. Today is the 65th all-time meeting, and Michigan leads the series 45-15-4 with four straight wins, though the teams haven't met in the regular season since 2022. Iowa's last win was Keith Duncan 's 14-13 walk-off against a #2-ranked Michigan team at Kinnick a decade ago, and the Hawkeyes haven't won in the Big House since 2010, which also stands as the last time Iowa won a game in front of 100,000-plus fans anywhere. No pressure, Hank.

As we countdown to kickoff, here's everything you need to know about today's matchup.

Date: Saturday, September 26 Time: 2:30 pm CT Matchup: Iowa Hawkeyes (3-0, 0-0) at Michigan Wolverines (3-0, 0-0) Location: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan TV: CBS Updated Weather Forecast: Sunny with a high in the low 70s. A perfect day for football. Updated FanDuel Line : Iowa +5.5, O/U 38.5

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