The Iowa Hawkeyes overcame a sloppy first half and shut down the visiting Michigan Wolverines to rally for a 24-21 win on a bitterly cold Senior Day at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday.
Michigan vs. Iowa final score: Hawkeyes rally for 24-21 victory with dominant defense
Michigan mustered just 45 yards after the break as Iowa moved to 7-4 on the season.
Matthew Holst
After a botched field goal left Iowa (7-4, 4-3) down 21-7 at the half, the Hawkeyes tightened up on both sides of the ball and turned the game around. For Michigan (7-4, 3-4), watching the lead evaporate as Devin Gardner was hounded into several bad passes in the second half was gut-wrenching.
Box Score Hero: The Iowa defense gets the nod for a lights-out performance in the second half, holding Michigan scoreless and allowing just 45 yards after the break (39 of which came on the last drive, which ended in a Gardner fumble). RB Mark Weisman was also a beast down the stretch, finishing with 88 yards and the game-tying score.
Rankings Ramifications: Neither team is ranked. You could make the case for Iowa receiving a few votes here or there, but the Hawkeyes aren’t going to crack the Top 25.
But Did They Cover? Iowa was a 6-point favorite. So congratulations, Michigan? No? No. Sorry.
For More On This Game: For more on Hawkeyes football, visit Iowa community Black Heart Gold Pants. For more on Wolverines football, visit Michigan community Maize ‘n’ Brew, plus Big Ten community Off Tackle Empire.
Next Week’s Schedule: Iowa travels to Nebraska to finish off the regular season on Black Friday, while Michigan and Ohio State meet in Columbus for a rivalry that you may have heard of.
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