Game Report: Iowa vs. Michigan

BY THE NUMBERS

204 - Total yards gained by Iowa sophomore Adam Robinson

522 -- Yards gained by Michigan

2 -- Consecutive games Iowa has beaten Michigan

9 -- True freshman to play this season for Iowa

Report Card

A-minus – Adam Robinson for Heisman. Well, that's what Julian Vandervelde said.

-- Marc Morehouse

B -- DJK telepathically told me, "Life is good."

-- Mike Hlas

A -- When beating Michigan at The Big House becomes just another win, then you know Iowa is rolling.

-- Scott Dochterman

Game MVP

Iowa RB Adam Robinson. He out-rushed Michigan's ultraback with the same surname by 38 yards. It multiple situations he came up with big plays to keep drives alive. In the first half with Iowa facing third and 14 at Michigan's 32, Robinson blasted through the Wolverines for 15 yards. After Michigan earned some offensive momentum with a third-quarter TD, Robinson rushed for 20 yards and gained another 15 yards with a Michigan penalty. On Iowa's final scoring drive to seal the victory, Robinson took a third-and-8 swing pass and ran over and past multiple Michigan defenders for 26 yards.

"Adam is just a tough football player, and he's been that for us for two years," Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said. "It's always the first thing I think about when I think about Adam Robinson."

Third moments

1. Iowa led 35-28 with about four minutes left in the game. Iowa quarterback Rick Stanzi threw a check-down pass to Robinson in the flat. Robinson then rumbled 26 yards to the Michigan 14-yard line. Three plays later Iowa freshman Mike Meyer kicked a 30-yard field goal to seal the game.

2. Facing third-and-4 from the Michigan 19, Stanzi saw Johnson-Koulianos lined up one-on-one on the outside with no safety help over the top. DJK ran a post to the middle, and Stanzi hit him in stride for a touchdown. It was DJK's third, and it gave Iowa a 35-14 lead.

3. Early in the third quarter, Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson ran 12 yards to his own 27 when he was sandwiched by Iowa linebacker Tyler Nielsen and defensive tackle Mike Daniels. Robinson suffered an injured shoulder on the play and did not return.

Go big or go home

The game's announced attendance was 112,784, the largest ever to see an Iowa football game. The previous high was 111,496 at Michigan Stadium in 2002.

It was the 228th consecutive game at Michigan Stadium with an attendance greater than 100,000.

Morse Code

Iowa senior fullback Brett Morse was unable  to play Saturday after suffering back spasms earlier in the week.

He stretched before the game but was not dressed. Brad Rogers replaced Morse in the lineup.

"It was pretty much a game-time decision," Rogers said.

Middle linebacker Jeff Tarpinian also didn't play for Iowa after suffering a neck injury against Ball State and was reaggravated against Penn State.

Big House blues?

Iowa has now won six games in Michigan since the teams' first game in 1900. But the Hawkeyes have split the last four games at Michigan Stadium.

"Your whole life you see Michigan playing and one day you actually get to play in the Big House," Iowa wide receiver Marvin McNutt said. "To beat them, they're a great school, still a great team, they have great players and to actually beat them it's a feeling ... it's like a dream come true."

But this win wasn't unexpected for McNutt, either.

"That's not a goal of the season. It's not just to beat Michigan," McNutt said. "We have bigger goal. It's a great win obviously, but at the same time we know next week this season isn't over. We have another big game next week."

Sash's stash

Iowa safety Tyler Sash returned a blocked field goal 37 yards to give the Hawkeyes the ball at midfield late in the second quarter. Iowa scored a touchdown nine plays later to take a 21-7 lead.

Sash, a junior, recalled how a blocked field goal against Northern Iowa last year nearly cost the Hawkeyes the game (because the ball didn't go past the line of scrimmage). Although this ball sailed about 13 yards, Sash picked it up, the UNO. That was part  to make his decision to grab the ball this year.

"That's the first thing I said, 'Hey remember this against UNI,'" Sash said. "It was kind of like everybody kind of froze up a little bit and back there was a pause in the game. So I said 'I might as well pick it up.'

Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz praised Sash's initiative.

"To me it was a good decision by an older player who knows what's going on," Ferentz said.

Sometimes you feel like a ...

McNutt dropped a first-quarter pass that would have given Iowa a first down. Instead the Hawkeyes were forced to punt.

Late in the game with Iowa holding on to a 35-28 lead, Stanzi threw a slant route toward McNutt on third-and-9 from  Iowa's 41. The pass was a bit behind McNutt, but the junior receiver made the catch and ran 17 yards to give Iowa a first down in Michigan territory.

"I dropped one earlier that looked like that," McNutt said. "I got down on myself and I told myself if it came down like that again, I'd make the play. That was something I looked forward to when I say the ball coming I was like I'm making this play no matter what."

McNutt finished the game with four catches for 78 yards.

"As a receiver you're not never going to have perfect catches and perfect balls," McNutt said. "So the thing is, if the ball is around, you're supposed to make the catch, as coach Soup (Erik Campbell) always says.