5 Things: Iowa vs. Michigan

Last Saturday was a bad day for Iowa football. This Saturday isn't setting up to be a good day for Iowa football. No. 3 Michigan is coming to Kinnick Stadium fresh off a 59-3 drubbing of Maryland. The Hawkeyes are going to be three-touchdown underdogs by game time, most likely.

But hey, stranger college football things have happened. So let's look at 5 Things: Iowa vs. Michigan. Let's go with an old-school country music theme this week, because why not?

1. Roll on, 18-Wheeler

This Alabama (the band) reference should be fairly self-explanatory. Michigan is an 18-wheeler, and save for Wisconsin, every team the Wolverines have faced this season has been run over by all 18 wheels.

Let's run it down:

Michigan has put up 50 or more points four times (63-3 vs Hawaii, 51-14 vs Central Florida, 78-0 vs Rutgers and 59-3 vs Maryland) and 40-plus in three others. The Wolverines average 47.8 points per game (best), give up 10.7 points per game (best), average 497.4 yards per game (second), give up 246.3 yards per game (best), have 30 sacks (best), and rank first or second in 14 other statistical categories.

In Michigan's 497.4 yards per game, that includes five games of more than 500 yards of total offense, and two of 600 more — topping out at 660 yards last weekend against Maryland. In case you forgot (of course you didn't), Iowa gave up 599 yards of total offense to Penn State on Saturday — a team that averages 415 yards per game.

The Wolverines are 9-0, making them one of five FBS schools that are still undefeated this season. This is the first time since 2006 Michigan has started this well, and the fourth time in the last 40 years. Michigan has gone undefeated and untied 14 times, most recently its 12-0 1997 season, the final year before the BCS was implemented, in which the Wolverines split the national championship with Nebraska.

It's not hard to imagine 50 more points, 500 more yards and 10-0 for the Wolverines after facing the Hawkeyes.

2. Friends in Low Places

No, Iowa isn't crashing any black tie affairs this year, but they have unfortunate company in the Big Ten in taking 25-plus-point losses this season. Iowa's 41-14 loss to Penn State was the worst regular season loss since the 51-14 loss to Minnesota in 2014. There also was the Rose Bowl last year.

Iowa has lost by 25 or more points 12 times under Ferentz, with seven of those coming in those lean first pair of seasons. The Hawkeyes have bounced back to win the week after getting blown out three times. In 2014, Iowa beat Illinois, 30-14, the week after the Minnesota loss. In 2007, the Hawkeyes beat Michigan State, 34-27, the week after a 31-6 loss to Purdue. And in 2005, Iowa beat Illinois, 35-7, the week after losing to Ohio State, 31-6.

While the Hawkeyes are 20.5-point underdogs to Michigan as of Monday afternoon, Iowa rarely suffers back-to-back blowouts, historically. Only once under Ferentz have the Hawkeyes taken back-to-back losses of 25 points or more — in 2000, with a 31-0 loss to Illinois and a 38-10 loss to Ohio State in back-to-back weeks.

Maybe there are no moral victories in football, or for Iowa, but preventing that last stat from coming true might feel like one.

3. Ring of Fire

Johnny Cash was talking about love, but the Hawkeyes have their feet in a different fire. Saturday will mark back-to-back weeks Iowa faces a ranked opponent after losing to No. 12 Penn State and welcoming No. 3 Michigan.

The Hawkeyes have played ranked teams back-to-back 10 times under Kirk Ferentz. In those cases, Iowa is 3-7 in the second game of the back-to-back — in 2010, the Hawkeyes beat No. 5 Michigan State after losing to No. 10 Wisconsin the week before; in 2004, the Hawkeyes beat No. 12 LSU in the Capital One Bowl after beating No. 9 Wisconsin in the regular season finale, and in 2003, the Hawkeyes beat No. 19 Minnesota a week after a loss to No. 16 Purdue.

Iowa has losses in its last four games that are second legs of a ranked back-to-back, falling to No. 5 Stanford in the Rose Bowl last year, to No. 17 Nebraska in 2012, No. 13 Michigan State in 2011 and to No. 19 Oklahoma in the 2011 Insight Bowl.

4. The Gambler

I'm not sure if Jim Harbaugh is a Kenny Rogers fan, but it feels like Jim Harbaugh would be a Kenny Rogers fan. If nothing else, this song would have a loose analogy to what Harbaugh was like as a quarterback — though sometimes he might not have known when to hold the ball or fold it.

Harbaugh was at Michigan from 1983-86, and saw action against the Hawkeyes twice in that span — not playing as a freshman, then missing the game his sophomore year with a broken arm; finally facing Iowa in the 1985 and 1986 seasons. The most notable game, of course, was the No. 1 vs No. 2 battle in 1985 that Iowa won, 12-10. Harbaugh finished his career with 5,449 yards, 31 touchdowns and 22 interceptions, and went 21-3-1 in his two full seasons as the Wolverines' starting quarterback.

Against Iowa specifically, though? Harbaugh was 8 of 13 for 55 yards and one touchdown in the 1985 Iowa win, and was 17 of 28 for 225 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in Michigan's 20-17 victory in 1986.

5. Stand by Your Man

We won't get into the merits of the meaning behind this Tammy Wynette ditty, but Jim Harbaugh has emboldened his fans to stick by him through a vibrant — and thoroughly unpredictable — Twitter feed.

Harbaugh is generally unpredictable, but his tweets have shocked, entertained and puzzled many since he joined the social media service, but particularly since taking over as head coach at his alma mater. So let's run down some of the best tweets he's sent since he made his return to college football:

1. Calling out Butch — Harbaugh sent this one to Tennessee Coach Butch Jones during the satellite camp controversy last spring

Suggestion to my Rocky Top colleague, rather than lunch in Florida you might spend your time and focus attending to your present team.March 3, 2016

Suggestion to my Rocky Top colleague, rather than lunch in Florida you might spend your time and focus attending to your present team.

— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM)

2. Hey Mr. Pope — Harbaugh let us all know he was following Pope Francis on Twitter. Wonder if the Pontif is a football fan …

Now following Pope Francis January 8, 2015

Now following Pope Francis @Pontifex. Go Blue!

— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM)

3. Seed critic — Harbaugh was watching the MLB playoffs. He was more impressed by seed-eating than a home run

A three HR inning is impressive but Seed eating is a science. The ability to eat the send & spit out the shell is a talent Mastered by few!October 7, 2016

A three HR inning is impressive but Seed eating is a science. The ability to eat the send & spit out the shell is a talent Mastered by few!

— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM)

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