No. 18 Michigan Opens Big Ten Play Against No. 17 Iowa in Ann Arbor
The short version
- No. 18 Michigan hosts No. 17 Iowa at Michigan Stadium to open Big Ten play.
- It is Michigan's second ranked opponent this season; the Wolverines beat Oklahoma earlier this year.
- Michigan averages eight penalties and 71.3 penalty yards per game, 16th-most in the country.
- Punter Cam Brown pinned Oklahoma inside the 20 six times in the Sooners win.
- Running backs Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter have four combined rushing touchdowns, three against UTEP.
The Wolverines close a four-game homestand Saturday against Iowa, their second ranked opponent of the young 2026 season.
No. 18 Michigan welcomes No. 17 Iowa to Michigan Stadium on Saturday, closing out a season-opening stretch of four consecutive home games. The matchup marks the start of Big Ten conference play for the Wolverines, who finished their non-conference schedule undefeated.
The game is the second ranked opponent on Michigan's 2026 schedule, with as many as six ranked matchups currently ahead. The Wolverines won the first of those, defeating Oklahoma earlier this season.
Penalties have been a recurring issue for Michigan through three weeks. The team ranks 36th in college football in penalties per game at eight, but its 71.3 penalty yards per game average is 16th-most nationally. The Oklahoma game was the worst showing, with 11 penalties for 90 yards — a yardage total that would rank among the bottom teams in the country on its own.
Field position has been a strength for the most part. The UTEP game last week was an exception, when two early turnovers gave the Miners favorable starting field position. Otherwise, Michigan has controlled the battle well.
The punting unit played a major role in the Oklahoma win. Punter Cam Brown and the punt team pinned the Sooners inside the 20-yard line six times, including at least one kick inside the 1. Facing long fields, Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer struggled to sustain offense, and a 99-yard drive proved too much to ask. Special teams coordinator Kerry Coombs oversees that unit.
The running back duo of Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter has yet to fully deliver on high preseason expectations. Hiter had his best game against UTEP with 11 carries for 62 yards and two touchdowns, and he added three catches for 41 yards against Oklahoma. Marshall posted a season-high 12 carries for 59 yards in the UTEP game.
The two have combined for four rushing touchdowns, though three of those came against UTEP. Neither necessarily needs to match the 100-yard-per-game standard set by Justice Haynes in the first half of last season and Marshall in the second half, but steady production around 50 yards per game each would help — quarterback Bryce Underwood also contributes as a runner.
Iowa figures to present a defensive-minded challenge, making a functional run game and clean football important for Michigan to find offensive rhythm and open conference play with a win.
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