Michigan vs. Iowa score: Wolverines push for top spot in College Football Playoff with Big Ten title shutout

Michigan's Jim Harbaugh became the first Big Ten coach to win three straight outright titles

No. 2 Michigan took care of business against No. 16 Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game, cruising past the Hawkeyes for a 26-0 victory and securing its third straight conference title in the process. The Wolverines can also confidently set their sights on the top overall seed in the College Football Playoff; they are a natural successor for the No. 1 spot after Georgia lost to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. 

The trio of titles makes Jim Harbaugh the first coach in conference history to win three straight outright championships. All three of those title game victories have come by at least 20 points. That includes a 42-3 win against the Hawkeyes in 2021 to secure its first playoff appearance in program history. 

With the loss, Iowa falls to 10-3 and misses another chance at winning the Big Ten title despite claiming three West titles since 2014 -- second-most among schools in the division. The Hawkeyes do deserve plenty of credit for battling through adversity, multiple notable injuries and what amounts to a midseason coordinator firing (though Brian Ferentz will finish out the year before moving on) to get to this point. 

But Iowa really didn't help itself Saturday night. Michigan turned an 87-yard punt return and a fumble recovery into touchdowns, another fumble recovery into a field goal and kicked two more field goals after stopping Iowa's offense on fourth down. The Wolverines had just one drive go over 13 plays and finished with 212 total yards of offense. 

The Hawkeyes, meanwhile, crossed midfield just twice. They averaged 2.8 yards per play 

• Big Ten East teams will finish a perfect 10-0 since the conference adopted its current championship game format. The Big Ten is eliminating divisions in its championship race after this season. 
• Michigan running back Blake Corum logged his 55th career rushing touchdown in the third quarter, tying Anthony Thomas for Michigan's program record. 
• This is the first time that Michigan has won three-straight Big Ten titles since 1990-92. 

Keep it locked here below for takeaways as Michigan cruised to a Big Ten title win on Saturday. 

[Dec 3, 2023 at 1:01 am ET · Jerry Palm]

Michigan clinches No. 1 seed in College Football Playoff

Michigan won the Big Ten Championship Game in a shutout and will be no worse than the No. 2 seed when the playoff field is unveiled on Selection Sunday. However, the Wolverines will almost certainly be No. 1 given how the committee has favored its on-field dominance over Washington's ranked victories all season.

U-M leads the nation in scoring margin and has put together a far more thorough resume than UW, which has been in a bevy of one-score games -- despite winning all of them. Remember: The Huskies were not even in the four-team field for the first few weeks of the CFP Rankings. Michigan should get the No. 1 seed and play in the Sugar Bowl.

Bowl projections: Texas gets College Football Playoff bid over Alabama with Michigan moving to No. 1

Jerry Palm

[Dec 3, 2023 at 12:10 am ET · Will Backus]

Defense wins the day

Michigan went 4 for 4 in the red zone with two touchdowns and scored 26 points against a defense that had allowed 25 points in a single game just once all season, but it is the Wolverines defense that stole the show. Michigan forced and recovered three fumbles, two of which gave it possession inside Iowa's 20-yard line. 

The Wolverines didn't allow Iowa to convert on any of its three fourth-down attempts. They also sacked quarterback Deacon Hill three times and tallied four total tackles for loss. Iowa didn't have a single run over 10 yards, and its longest passing play was a 19-yard dump off to tight end Addison Ostrenga. 

As the old saying goes, defense travels, and Michigan's defense is built to compete against any team in the nation. This is especially relevant when it could face the likes of Texas or Alabama in its College Football Playoff Semifinal game, depending on what the committee decides Sunday afternoon. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 11:57 pm ET · Will Backus]

Can Michigan make some noise in playoffs?

Michigan is a lock to make the College Football Playoff. The Wolverines are going to make the final field of four for a third straight time under coach Jim Harbaugh. While that's a nice run, the Wolverines haven't done much with their playoff cameos. 

They didn't put up much of a fight as the 2-seed in their semifinal game against No. 3 Georgia in 2021, losing 34-11 to bring their run to an abrupt end. The Bulldogs would go on to win their first of two straight national championships. 

Michigan once against earned the No. 2 spot in last season's playoff field and drew a semifinal matchup against No. 3 TCU. Harbaugh's squad entered that game as -7.5 point favorites, but it was the Horned Frogs that walked out of the Fiesta Bowl with a 51-45 win. 

Though Michigan has yet to miss out on the CFP since the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the Wolverines are still searching for their first playoff win in program history. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 11:48 pm ET · Will Backus]

Divisionless Big Ten cannot come soon enough

Splitting a large college football conference into divisions has its merits. Most importantly, it helps avoid confusing tiebreaker scenarios once the end of the regular season rolls around and paints a clear picture regarding the conference's supposed best teams. 

But the Big Ten adopting a new format and getting rid of divisions in 2024 to accommodate for its swelling ranks is a breath of fresh air. The Big Ten Championship Game has rarely been competitive since the conference split into East and West in 2014. The Big Ten East is now 10-0 in that span. Each of the last five games, and six total, were decided by at least two scores. Michigan won its three-straight Big Ten titles by an average of almost 29 points. 

Losing divisions virtually cuts off championship game access for a lot of schools, but it should create a much better on-field product moving forward. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 11:27 pm ET · Will Backus]

Michigan's lead balloons again

Michigan was able to expand its lead after turning the Hawkeyes over on downs. J.J. McCarthy hit Cornelius Johnson for a gain of nine yards and running back Blake Corum had a couple of nice runs to put the Wolverines in field goal range. After failing to convert on third-and-5, kicker James Turner hit the field and nailed a 50-yard field goal to give his team a 26-0 advantage. At this point, Iowa is playing not to get shut out. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 11:21 pm ET · Will Backus]

Iowa comes up short ... again

Credit to Iowa for not being a sad field goal team. The Hawkeyes faced fourth-and-5 from Michigan's 45-yard line with around 7:30 to play in the fourth quarter. They lined up to go for it, drawing a timeout from Michigan's coaching staff. Instead of rethinking things, Iowa decided to stick to its original decision and try for the conversion. Quarterback Deacon Hill's pass fell short and Michigan took over, but good for the Hawkeyes for showing some fight. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 11:09 pm ET · Will Backus]

Michigan getting after the ball

Sure, Iowa's offense doesn't do itself any favors, but Michigan's defense has been dominant. The Wolverines are particularly adept at forcing fumbles, it seems. Michigan just forced and recovered its third loose ball of the night. Defensive lineman Braiden McGregor rushed past Iowa's left tackle and batted the ball out of quarterback Deacon Hill's hand before he could get rid of it. Michigan's Kenneth Grant jumped on the loose ball and gave the Wolverines possession on Iowa's 18-yard line, allowing his team to expand its lead to 23-0 off a 36-yard field goal from James Turner. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 11:04 pm ET · Will Backus]

Give Doman his flowers

We've already highlighted Iowa punter Tory Taylor's impact on Saturday's game, but Michigan's Tommy Doman deserves a mention as well. He had one lackluster punt that took a bad bounce and gave Iowa the ball at Michigan's 38-yard line, but the Hawkeyes couldn't even capitalize and Doman's been money otherwise. He's had two punts travel at least 50 yards and two have been downed inside Iowa's 20-yard line. He's averaging a respectable 42.3 yards per boot as well. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 10:53 pm ET · Will Backus]

Keep the good folks at X-Golf Cedar Rapids in your thoughts

X-Golf, a golf-based bar in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, went viral on social media leading up to the Big Ten Championship Game with a promotion that stated it would be providing free draft beer to patrons until Iowa scores, the game ends or their reserved bay time ended. We have now seen 45 minutes of scoreless football from the Hawkeyes, and that likely isn't going to change anytime soon. Iowa punted on its second play in the fourth quarter, giving Michigan a chance to sit on the ball and bleed some more clock. Hopefully X-Golf paid attention to Iowa this year and stocked up on kegs accordingly. At this rate, it would have also been smart to have an EMT ready to go on-site. 

Iowa bar offering free drinks until Hawkeyes score against Michigan in Big Ten Championship

Austin Nivison

[Dec 2, 2023 at 10:46 pm ET · Will Backus]

Michigan well on its way to CFP 1-seed

End 3Q: No. 2 Michigan 20, No. 16 Iowa 0

Though there's still 15 minutes to play in the Big Ten Championship Game, Iowa's offensive body of work this season suggests Michigan has this one under control. The Hawkeyes simply aren't built to overcome a three-score deficit, no matter how much time they might have. Michigan expanded its lead to three scores midway through the third quarter when Iowa fumbled near its own goal line. Wolverines running back Blake Corum punched the ball in from six yards out to score his program-record 23rd touchdown of the year. 

Michigan has capitalized on Iowa errors for both of its touchdowns today. The Wolverines scored a short rushing touchdown in the second quarter off an 87-yard punt return from freshman wide receiver Semaj Morgan, who took advantage of a rare special teams bust from the Hawkeyes. With Georgia's loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, Michigan has the No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff rankings in its sights. It just needs to avoid an unprecedented meltdown. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 10:30 pm ET · Will Backus]

Michigan takes control off Iowa fumble

There's a lot of ground to cover on this update. Iowa was backed up to its own goal line, facing second-and-7. Quarterback Deacon Hill dropped back to pass and came under pressure almost immediately. Michigan defensive back Mike Sainsristil, who came on a blitz, hit the ball out of Hill's hands before he could let go. Officials initially blew the play dead and ruled it an incomplete pass. After review, though, it was determined that Hill lost control and fumbled the ball. They also established that Michigan's Josh Wallace clearly recovered the ball, which means Michigan gained possession following the review. 

Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz was livid following the decision and ripped into officials on the sideline. Both players and coach Kirk Ferentz -- his father -- had to hold him back. Despite Ferentz's impassioned pleas, which ultimately drew an unsportsmanlike penalty, Michigan took over on Iowa's 6-yard line. Running back Blake Corum scored in one play and put the Wolverines up 17-0. Corum also tied Michigan's career rushing touchdown record in the process with his 55th score on the ground. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 10:13 pm ET · Will Backus]

Johnson making big plays for Michigan

Few could have guessed that wide receiver Cornelius Johnson would be Michigan's best offensive weapon tonight, but here we are. The senior receiver hasn't had 40 yards receiving in a single game since Oct. 7's win against Minnesota, but he is already up to 44 against Iowa with over 12 minutes to play in the third quarter. He's made some very timely catches as well. He fought off an Iowa defensive back to convert on second-and-4 during Michigan's first drive in the second half. He also had a 10-yard catch on Michigan's fourth-and-7 conversion early in the fourth quarter to set up its field goal. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 9:43 pm ET · Will Backus]

Michigan's lead holds entering second half

Half: No. 2 Michigan 10, No. 16 Iowa 0

Michigan scored 10 points in the first quarter, but this one has been a snooze-fest since. Iowa's defense actually improved in the second quarter, sacking Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy three times. Two of those came on third down and the other ended the half. Michigan's second punt following a sack traveled just 25 yards and took a friendly bounce in Iowa's favor, giving the Hawkeyes the ball on Michigan's 38-yard line. Iowa went on to literally fumble its best scoring opportunity away after Jaziun Patterson lost the ball while fighting for a first down. 

At least Tory Taylor came to play for the Hawkeyes. In fact, he may have just been the best player for either team in the first half. He punted six times for a total of 318 yards, averaging 53 yards per kick. Four of his punts went for at least 50 yards and one traveled 68 yards to pin Michigan inside its 20-yard line. Without his field-flipping abilities, Michigan might have a much larger lead. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 9:27 pm ET · Will Backus]

Iowa fumbles its best opportunity away

Iowa finally had a break go its way. Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy slipped for a loss of 16 yards on third-and-9 after scrambling around for a while. Wolverines punter Tommy Doman then booted a kick that traveled 25 net yards and took a very friendly Iowa bounce, giving the Hawkeyes the ball on Michigan's 38-yard line. Surely with that field position, Iowa could cash in at least a field goal to cut into Michigan's 10-0 lead. Instead, running back Jaziun Patterson fumbled the ball while trying to fight for a first down on third-and-2 and the Wolverines jumped on it. Fortunately, Iowa's defense forced a three-and-out and is singlehandedly keeping the Hawkeyes in this game, but Michigan is physical enough to wear Iowa down and turn this into a rout if the offense can't get out of its own way. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 9:12 pm ET · Will Backus]

Iowa's defense steps up

At least Iowa can always hang its hat on the defense. Michigan had an opportunity to blow this one wide open early in the second quarter and got as far as Iowa's 49-yard line. But a holding penalty moved the Wolverines back over midfield and Hawkeyes defensive lineman Deontae Craig came through with a huge sack on third-and-12 to bring Michigan's drive to a grinding halt. Kaden Wetjen had a nice 24-yard return on the ensuing punt to set the Hawkeyes up near midfield, but an illegal block in the back moved Iowa all the way to its own 20-yard line. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 8:57 pm ET · Will Backus]

Michigan in driver's seat

End 1Q: No. 2 Michigan 10, No. 16 Iowa 0

A 10-point lead might just be enough for Michigan in this game. The Wolverines scored a field goal on their opening drive, converting on a fourth-and-7 in Iowa territory in the process, and then hit on an 87-yard punt return to set up a short Blake Corum rushing touchdown with just over a minute to play. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy had an efficient if unspectacular first quarter, going 6 of 7 for 41 yards, including a 10-yard connection with Cornelius Johnson on that fourth-down conversion. 

Iowa's offense has struggled so far. The Hawkeyes have yet to cross into Michigan territory, though they did end the first frame with a conversion on third-and-1. Quarterback Deacon Hill has not completed a pass across the line of scrimmage yet and the Hawkeyes finished the first 15 minutes with just 7 net passing yards. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 8:46 pm ET · Will Backus]

Special teams help Michigan extend lead

Iowa's special teams are widely regarded as one of the best overall units in the nation, but it's Michigan that came to play in that regard. In a game that's seen both teams strain for yardage, Wolverines punt returner Semaj Morgan just provided the most explosive play of the game. The freshman wide receiver took a Tory Taylor punt 87 yards to Iowa's 5-yard line before he was just pushed out of bounds. Wolverines running back Blake Corum scored a short touchdown a couple plays later to give Michigan a 10-0 first quarter lead. Morgan's return is the longest in Big Ten Championship Game history. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 8:36 pm ET · Will Backus]

Michigan OL suffers another blow

Michigan offensive lineman Drake Nugent left Saturday's title game with an injury. This comes as the Wolverines are already down arguably their best lineman in Zak Zinter, who broke his leg in the regular-season finale against Ohio State. Nugent remained on the field after a Blake Corum run on third-and-2. Nugent was also listed on Michigan's pre-game injury report, though he started for Michigan's offense on its first drive. 

The good news for the Wolverines is that they were able to hit a field goal one play after Nugent went down to take a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. But Nugent's status moving forward will be key given his experience with and command of the center position. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 8:30 pm ET · Will Backus]

Jim Harbaugh rolling the dice early

Harbaugh is looking to make a statement in his first game back from suspension. Facing a fourth-and-7 on its opening drive, Michigan opted to go for it. Harbaugh elected to roll the dice, and it worked as quarterback J.J. McCarthy hit Cornelius Johnson for a gain of 10 yards. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 8:18 pm ET · Will Backus]

Hawkeyes set to get things started

Michigan won the opening coin toss and deferred to the second half, meaning Iowa will receive the opening kickoff. Offense has been a struggle for the Hawkeyes all year long, and injuries haven't helped, so they would love to get some sort of momentum going on that side of the ball and set the tone early. At the very least, sustain a drive and keep the ball out of Michigan's hands. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 8:16 pm ET · Will Backus]

Iowa has fans all around the country

Though this game could be as simple as Michigan winning and locking down the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff, there are likely tons of fans around the country pulling for an Iowa win. Alabama beat top-ranked Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, putting the Bulldogs on the outside looking in for the first time since 2020. Georgia would need both the Wolverines and Florida State -- which is playing Louisville in the ACC Championship Game -- to lose to have a shot at making the final four. Both Texas and Alabama need at least one of those teams to lose to feel 100% comfortable about their playoff outlook, though at least one of those teams is going to make the cut regardless. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 7:48 pm ET · Will Backus]

Iowa bar offering free drinks until Hawkeyes score

To add to the stakes of tonight's game, X-Golf in Cedar Rapids is offering a promotion for fans who book bay times right in time for kickoff at 7:00 p.m. CT. Draft beers will be on the house until Iowa scores, the game ends, or the purchased bay time expires. So Hawkeyes fans could end up having a great night no matter what happens on the field. 

Iowa bar offering free drinks until Hawkeyes score against Michigan in Big Ten Championship

Austin Nivison

[Dec 2, 2023 at 7:15 pm ET · Will Backus]

Major College Football Playoff implications

For Michigan, at least. All the Wolverines have to do is win and they are in -- likely with no worse than the No. 2 seed -- for a third straight year. A loss, obviously, would eliminate them from contention. Iowa can't make it in with a loss but it can secure a spot in a prominent New Year's Six bowl matchup. It will be a very tall task for the Hawkeyes. Michigan is no stranger to success in the Big Ten Championship Games. The Wolverines have won the last two titles by a combined score of 85-25, with both victories propelling them into the playoff field. 

Here's more on playoff scenarios to monitor this weekend from Jerry Palm: 

College Football Playoff, bowl projections: Scenarios for five contenders in the hunt for four-team field

Jerry Palm

[Dec 2, 2023 at 6:40 pm ET · Will Backus]

The return of Harbaugh 

This marks the first time since Michigan's win against Purdue almost a month ago that coach Jim Harbaugh will be back on the sidelines. He missed the Wolverines' last three games of the season while serving a suspension handed down from the Big Ten amid the NCAA's investigation into an alleged sign-stealing operation. Interim coach Sherrone Moore did a great job of guiding the Wolverines to an undefeated finish, including crucial wins against Penn State and Ohio State, in Harbaugh's absence. This isn't a total return for Harbaugh, though, as he was still allowed to run practice and other football related activities outside of actual gamedays. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 6:10 pm ET · Will Backus]

Punters matter 

One area where Iowa has a discernible advantage is on special teams. A lot of that is due to star punter Tory Taylor who is -- with complete sincerity -- one of the best players in college football. He's a Ray Guy Award finalist and is averaging 47.67 yards per punt. He's punted 79 times, which leads the FBS, 29 of which have landed inside the opponent's 20-yard line.  

In the words of CBS Sports' own Barrett Sallee: "The Hawkeyes defense has been fantastic all season but will face a big challenge against a Wolverines offense that is founded on a physical rushing attack led by running back Blake Corum. This one will likely be a field-position game, which means Hawkeyes punter Tory Taylor might be the most important player on the field."

College football schedule, games 2023: What to watch in Week 14, TV channels, Saturday kickoff times

Barrett Sallee

[Dec 2, 2023 at 5:35 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Points may come at a premium 

I'm not going to mess with the spread. First of all, while anything is possible, I don't see Iowa shocking the world here. I just don't know how the Hawkeyes will score points. While they've had success against the Big Ten West, this is still the same team that lost to Penn State 31-0 this year. And the Hawkeyes were much healthier then. Michigan is Penn State on steroids. The question is, how motivated will the Wolverines be to run up the score? They have no need. Win and they go to the playoff. Outside of getting Blake Corum a couple touchdowns, I don't see why Michigan will risk anything in the second half if it has a lead it feels comfortable protecting. Pick: Under 35

College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for top 25 games on Championship Week

Tom Fornelli

[Dec 2, 2023 at 5:00 pm ET · Will Backus]

No. 2 Michigan is aiming for its third straight conference title as it takes on No. 16 Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game. The Wolverines clinched the Big Ten East title with a 30-24 win against arch-rival Ohio State to put a bow on their second consecutive 12-0 regular season. They did so without coach Jim Harbaugh, who served a three-game suspension to end the year as a result of the Big Ten's investigation into Michigan's alleged sign-stealing operation. Harbaugh will be back patrolling the sidelines for the Big Ten title game. 

Iowa has overcome its fair share of adversity to reach Indianapolis for the second time in three years. The Hawkeyes have had to deal with a litany of season-ending injuries -- starting quarterback Cade McNamara, leading receiver Erick All, projected NFL Draft first-round defensive back Cooper DeJean (just to name a few) -- and have played under an offensive coordinator in Brian Ferentz that won't be back next season. Despite all that, they finished the year 10-2 and won the Big Ten West by a comfortable margin thanks to an excellent-as-ever defense and strong special teams play. 

Since the Big Ten went to its current divisional alignment, the Big Ten East is a perfect 9-0 in the championship game. Michigan beat Iowa 42-3 in the 2021 Big Ten Championship Game to secure its first College Football Playoff berth in program history. Maybe the Hawkeyes can put up more of a fight this go around.