This coming Saturday, all eyes will be at Lucas Oil Stadium as the Michigan Wolverines and the Iowa Hawkeyes square off in the much-anticipated Big Ten championship game. It is bound to be one epic finale, with Michigan targeting the all-important conference title and the coveted berth in the College Football Playoff.
Can Michigan continue its dream run and win its first-ever Big Ten championship game? Or will the Iowa Hawkeyes spoil their party this coming weekend? Read on below for a preview of this mouth-watering Michigan vs Iowa showdown.
Michigan Wolverines installed as -10.5 favorites
The Michigan Wolverines booked their place in the Big Ten Championship game with an impressive 42-27 victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes last Saturday. It was the biggest win of the season for the Wolverines, who will play in the Big Ten title game for the very first time.
Hassan Haskins led the Wolverines, who finally snapped their eight-game losing skid against the Buckeyes. He ran for five touchdowns against Ohio State, matching a school record for Michigan. Four of his scores came in the second half, helping Michigan seal the win against its bitter rivals.
Haskins with the hurdle π³
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 27, 2021
(via @CFBONFOX)pic.twitter.com/2CYlGT7jdY
Aidan Hutchinson delivered on the defensive side of the ball, racking up three sacks against the Buckeyes. He broke Michigan's single-season program mark with 13 sacks this campaign. History beckons for the Wolverines, who have a chance to win a Big Ten championship for the first time since 2004 and a national title for the first time since 1997.
Related Article: AP Top 25 Poll Week 14: Michigan Jumps Past Alabama and Cincinnati; Climbs 4 Spots to No. 2
Iowa Hawkeyes installed as +10.5 underdogs
Also last Saturday, the Iowa Hawkeyes sealed their passage to the Big Ten Championship game with a thrilling 28-21 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Hawkeyes outscored the Cornhuskers 19-0 in the final quarter to turn a 12-point deficit into a seven-point win in the end.
Iowa trailed Nebraska by 15 with 30 seconds left in the 3rd Quarter ...
— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) November 29, 2021
That's when @HawkeyeFootball rallied to score 22 unanswered points to eventually clinch the B1G West Division & punch their ticket to the #B1GFCG in Indy. π
π @CheesyVelveeta ππΌπΉπ± π πΌππ² pic.twitter.com/Cz12u9uWI5
Things are bound to get more challenging for the Hawkeyes as they will face a Michigan team that is eighth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 17.2 points per game this season. Michigan showed its defensive prowess against Ohio State, holding the high-scoring Buckeyes to just 27 points.
Iowa will turn to Spencer Petras to be its starting quarterback against Michigan. He started every game last year for the Hawkeyes and the first nine games this season. Petras suffered an injury to his right shoulder, forcing him to miss two games. In the second half of Iowa's win over Nebraska, he made a triumphant return, completing 7 of 13 passes for 102 yards.
Writer's Prediction
Michigan wins and covers the spread in the Big Ten Championship game.
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