Jim Harbaugh, head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, did not tip toe around Kinnick Stadium and what the environment is going to be on Saturday when they visit the Iowa Hawkeyes.
With this game set as the FOX “Big Noon Kickoff” and Iowa fans delivering a sellout crowd, there will be no shortage of noise and electricity in the air this Saturday when the Wolverines and Hawkeyes kickoff.
“As they say, where top-five teams go to die. I think the biggest thing is just how good the team is,” Harbaugh said when asked what makes Kinnick Stadium a tough place to play.
“You turn on the offensive tape, and yeah, it’s a Kirk Ferentz-coached offense. I mean, everything is detailed, everything’s precise, same fundamentals, and they just get so good at what they’re doing that they beat you with execution. It’s wide zone, it’s tight zone. It’s play action off the boots and nakeds. They just out-fundamental you, they’ll out-technique you, and they aim to out-execute you.
“So same thing. You can’t have blown coverages. You got to be in the right technique; you got to be in the right gap. You’ve got to be just as good, you’ve got to match that execution. And that great environment that they have at Kinnick Stadium. But I think it’s more the team that’s on the field. And they produce one that’s really good every single year.”
Harbaugh is not wrong, either. Iowa is 5-1 in their last six home games against AP top-5 opponents. Michigan was a recent victim in 2016 when they fell to Iowa on a last second field goal.
In Iowa's last 6 home games against AP top-5 foes:
2008 vs. 3. Penn State, W 24-23
2010 vs. 5. Michigan State, W 37-6
2016 vs. 2. Michigan, W 14-13
2017 vs. 4. Penn State, L 21-19
2017 vs. 3. Ohio State, W 55-24
2021 vs. 4. Penn State, W 23-20This week, No. 4 Michigan
— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) September 26, 2022
Michigan will be led by starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy, a sophomore who won the job early this season, in what will undoubtedly be the most hostile environment he has played in yet.
“Yeah, same way at all the positions, really — fundamental football, going through the progressions, going through the drops, the ball handling and making sure that we’re as detailed and as fundamentally sound as we can possibly be going into this game,” Harbaugh said when asked how Michigan will prepare the young quarterback for the environment.
In what will be a loud environment and a sellout crowd, the fundamentals of taking care of the ball, avoiding penalties, and playing smart football could go a long way.
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