2023 B1G Championship: #2 Michigan Wolverines (12-0) vs. #16 Iowa Hawkeyes (10-2)

[MichiganCardinal]

          vs.          

Setting: 12/02/2023 8:00pm EST on FOX

Site: Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN

Weather: Climate Controlled

Opening Spread: Michigan -22

All-Time Series Record: Michigan leads, 44-15-4

Last Meeting: 10/01/2022, Michigan won 27-14

 

#16 Iowa Hawkeyes (10-2)

Head Coach: Kirk Ferentz (25th Season: 196-117)

Projected Starting QB: Deacon Hill (Redshirt Sophomore: 6-1)

Last Week: 13-10 W @ Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-7)

 

#2 Michigan Wolverines (12-0)

Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh (16th Season: 141-52)

Projected Starting QB: JJ McCarthy (Junior: 24-1)

Last Week: 30-24 W vs. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1)

B1G Championship Game History

[gehringer_2]

I'll take the under.

[MichiganCardinal]

This could have been a really fun game to watch if Cade and Erick weren't out for the season. As it is, score 17 and put in the backups.

[MIguy]

This'll be the last year the Big 10 title game is easy, better make the most of it.  

[buddha]

i just hope mccarthy gets healthy, they could use his legs in this game.

[MichiganCardinal]

Odds are very much in favor that Michigan is in with or without a win here, though it is not guaranteed. A loss would probably only knock them out if Alabama beats Georgia.

[lordstanley]

32 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

Odds are very much in favor that Michigan is in with or without a win here, though it is not guaranteed. A loss would probably only knock them out if Alabama beats Georgia.

If Michigan loses and Florida St. and Texas both win, that's a problem, even if Georgia beats Alabama.

While I usually love college football chaos, I think it's best for Michigan if there's no chaos this weekend. If Georgia, Michigan, Washington and Florida St. all win, that's a winnable semi-final for Michigan. An Alabama upset over Georgia would be bad in that respect, because it could set up a #1 Michigan for a semi against an SEC opponent.

[MichiganCardinal]

25 minutes ago, lordstanley said:

If Michigan loses and Florida St. and Texas both win, that's a problem, even if Georgia beats Alabama.

While I usually love college football chaos, I think it's best for Michigan if there's no chaos this weekend. If Georgia, Michigan, Washington and Florida St. all win, that's a winnable semi-final for Michigan. An Alabama upset over Georgia would be bad in that respect, because it could set up a #1 Michigan for a semi against an SEC opponent.

On that note who would we most like to play in the semi? Granted, last year it was probably TCU and we know how that worked out. It's likely we will return to the Rose Bowl for the game, given that Georgia will request the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans if they are the #1 seed.

I would think playing Florida State without their starting QB would be best for us. They've played a mediocre ACC schedule (plus one OOC win against LSU) and they looked pretty pedestrian against a bad Florida team last night. It's never easy to go 12-0, so you know they're a good team, but alongside Georgia/Alabama/Texas/Oregon/Washington, they're probably the most favorable matchup. If Georgia, Michigan, FSU, and Oregon win, it would be interesting to see if they put Florida State at #3 or have Oregon jump them to setup an easier perceived semi for Georgia.

I maintain that Georgia isn't going to three-peat. They're more flawed than either of the last two years. I think either Oregon or Michigan could beat them on any given Saturday... or Monday... And that one of them will finish what Ohio State came so close to doing last year.

Edited November 26, 2023 by MichiganCardinal

[Motor City Sonics]

Under next year's format it would be Michigan vs. Ohio State two weeks in a row.   

[MichiganCardinal]

15 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

Under next year's format it would be Michigan vs. Ohio State two weeks in a row.   

I think that's what made this year so much more important. It was the last of the traditional games. There are very real scenarios under next year's format where they play three times in the span of a month.

Week 13 as normal, B1G Championship the following week, one team gets a bye and one team plays a home game in the 5v12 round, followed by yet another rematch in the CFP Quarterfinals.

Edited November 26, 2023 by MichiganCardinal

[buddha]

12 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

Under next year's format it would be Michigan vs. Ohio State two weeks in a row.   

actually, it would be michigan against washington.

[Hongbit]

11 hours ago, MichiganCardinal said:

This could have been a really fun game to watch if Cade and Erick weren't out for the season. As it is, score 17 and put in the backups.

There’s nothing fun about Iowa.  They are like the furniture in a grandparents living room.   

[MIguy]

10 minutes ago, buddha said:

actually, it would be michigan against washington.

Got him!

[Motor City Sonics]

43 minutes ago, buddha said:

actually, it would be michigan against washington.

No, I said next year's FORMAT, not next year's CONFERENCE.   

[Motor City Sonics]

37 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

There’s nothing fun about Iowa.  They are like the furniture in a grandparents living room.   

Plus Iowa steals signs.     I mean, they must have stolen Rutgers signs, right?    I mean Rutgers couldn't score on them, so that means it must be sign-stealing because there is no way that Rutgers, you know, sucks. 

[MIguy]

2 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

No, I said next year's FORMAT, not next year's CONFERENCE.   

The format change is only because of the conference being expanded so they kind of go together.  

[Motor City Sonics]

5 minutes ago, MIguy said:

The format change is only because of the conference being expanded so they kind of go together.  

Not really - even without the expansion they were going to go the Pac 12 route and ditch the divisions after this year (because the West is a joke)

[Sports_Freak]

22 point spread? Seriously? If UM loses, do they actually deserve to be in the playoffs? A loss this late in the season would be devastating. 

[Edman85]

I don't know how Iowa scores in this game.

[MichiganCardinal]

6 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

22 point spread? Seriously? If UM loses, do they actually deserve to be in the playoffs? A loss this late in the season would be devastating. 

The only decent team Iowa has played was Penn State and they got embarrassed. Not to say their defense isn’t good, it is, but it doesn’t face good competition often at all and their offense is abysmal. I don’t think this will be a close game at all. Something like 30-3 Michigan 

[djhutch]

I remember being nervous as hell 2 years ago going into the game against Iowa, because of their defense.  I am not nervous this time & I'm hoping the gods don't try to teach me some sort of cosmic lesson.

[MIguy]

 

[Motor City Sonics]

I actually heard the words "trap game" 

 

Um, not this year.  Coach is back and that coach and that team want to stick it to the entire Big Ten.  There will be no lack of motivation on Saturday.  I think it could be a bigger blow out than 42-3

Imagine how much Harabugh is going to enjoy getting the trophy handed to him by Tony Petitti - and if Tony sends someone else to do it, he should be immediately fired. 

[Motor City Sonics]

On 11/26/2023 at 12:21 PM, MichiganCardinal said:

The only decent team Iowa has played was Penn State and they got embarrassed. Not to say their defense isn’t good, it is, but it doesn’t face good competition often at all and their offense is abysmal. I don’t think this will be a close game at all. Something like 30-3 Michigan 

only way they stop at 30 is if they are tired.   They're gonna run this up big time. 

[MichiganCardinal]

1 hour ago, Motor City Sonics said:

I actually heard the words "trap game" 

 

Um, not this year.  Coach is back and that coach and that team want to stick it to the entire Big Ten.  There will be no lack of motivation on Saturday.  I think it could be a bigger blow out than 42-3

Imagine how much Harabugh is going to enjoy getting the trophy handed to him by Tony Petitti - and if Tony sends someone else to do it, he should be immediately fired. 

They could probably play Orji all game and still win by double digits.

I’m disappointed Orji and Jake Butt never played together.