Big Ten football championship Game Report: Michigan 26, Iowa 0

INDIANAPOLIS — A closer look at the Iowa Hawkeyes’ 26-0 loss to Michigan Saturday night in the Big Ten football championship.

Turning point

RAYGUN didn’t have a T-shirt for this.

Punting is losing? What the what? Who knew?

From the Iowa 40 with his team down by just 3-0 in the final two minutes of the first quarter, Ray Guy Award finalist Tory Taylor punted 52 yards to Michigan’s Semaj Morgan at the Wolverines’ 8.

Morgan put on a series of moves that could be described as elusive, and returned it 87 yards to the Iowa 5. One would not have guessed that was the freshman’s first career punt return.

WHAT A PUNT RETURN BY MORGAN

@UMichFootbal pic.twitter.com/fbF0RRCDEA

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 3, 2023

Two plays later, Blake Corum ran 2 yards for his national-best 23rd rushing touchdown of the season, and Michigan led 10-0.

Iowa’s cause wasn’t helped in the second quarter when a penalty for a block in the back negated a nice Hawkeye punt return and cost Iowa 21 yards back to its 20. A three-and-out followed.

Iowa was assessed a second block-in-the-back penalty in the fourth quarter.

Stopping big punt returns and not making penalties on your own nice punt returns is winning, or at least not losing.

By the numbers

1 — The Hawkeyes have scored one touchdown over three Big Ten championship games.

2 — Iowa was shut out twice this season after not getting blanked since 2000.

8 — The last eight Iowa games have paid the “under” of the over/unders set by national sportsbooks. This game’s O/U was 36 points.

10 — The East/West portion of Big Ten championship games concluded with the East sweeping all 10 games.

11 — Michigan’s two touchdown drives totaled 11 yards. The Wolverines started from the Iowa 5 and 6.

16 — This was the first time Iowa allowed more than 16 points since its 31-0 loss at Penn State on Sept. 23.

67 — Taylor had a 67-yard punt in the second quarter, his longest of the season. Which is saying something.

87 — Morgan’s 87-yard punt return was the longest in Big Ten championship history.

353 — Taylor punted for 353 yards, the second-most in a Big Ten title game. He punted for 331 yards in the 2021 game.

Notebook

* The crowd was at least two-thirds Michigan fans, and perhaps three-fourths or more.

Why? Apparently the fans of the Wolverines had more belief in a positive result coming to their team Saturday.

* People wearing “Michigan vs. Everybody” shirts could be seen throughout downtown Indianapolis and at the game.

When someone wearing one of the shirts was asked how Michigan could be against everybody when Michigan is part of everybody, the reply sounded a lot like gibberish.

* Jim Harbaugh, International Man of Mystery.

On the Wolverines’ first possession, the Michigan coach went for a first down on fourth-and-7 at the Iowa 36. A 10-yard pass made the decision look savvy.

Four plays later, Harbaugh opted to have James Turner kick a 35-yard field goal on fourth-and-1 for a 3-0 Michigan lead.

The decision looked just fine in hindsight. The lead held up.

* No team ranked outside Associated Press’ Top 10 has won the Big Ten championship since 2012.

Next game

Iowa almost surely will be selected to play in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl Jan. 1 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla., against a Southeastern Conference team. Mississippi (10-2) is a popular pick by bowl projectionists. All bowl pairings will be made official Sunday.

Comments: mike.hlas@thegazette.com