INDIANAPOLIS– Michigan football pitched its second shutout of the year, this time in the Big Ten Championship Game against No. 16 Iowa. The Wolverines stymied the already abysmal Hawkeye offense while struggling to put together drives against the stingy Iowa defense.
Still. the maize and blue prevailed, 26-0, to win their third straight Big Ten Championship in as many years.
If you were at the game or watched it on TV, you may know a lot about what happened, but certainly not the whole story. That’s where the Michigan Athletic Department has us covered with more facts and stats and trivia that you might not have known!
Facts/tidbits:
- Michigan’s league-leading 45th Big Ten Title also marks the first time in program history with three consecutive outright Big Ten Championships.
- The last stretch with three consecutive Big Ten titles for the Wolverines was 1988-92, when four-of-five Big Ten titles belonged to U-M outright (1988, ’89, ’91, ’92).
- U-M is 3-0 in Big Ten Championship Games under head coach Jim Harbaugh, and 2-0 against the Hawkeyes. In the all-time series (63 games), U-M leads Iowa 45-14-4.
- Michigan has achieved its second consecutive 13-0 season and second ever 13-win season.
- The Wolverines have been victorious in 25 straight Big Ten games dating to 2021, the longest streak in program history and the third longest in Big Ten history.
- The Big Ten Conference does not recognize the 2021, 2022, or 2023 Big Ten championship games as conference matchups, so U-M is at 22 straight Big Ten wins by the league’s record book. That figure surpassed the previous record, a mark held by Gary Moeller’s 1990-92 teams (19).
- Mike Sainristil was named the game’s Griffin-Grange MVP.
- The Wolverines have not trailed in the second half of a game this year and have at least three offensive touchdowns in every game.
- Karsen Barnhart got his first career start at right guard, giving him starts at four positions in his career (both tackle spots, both guard spots). Trente Jones started at right tackle, marking his 10th career start.
- Running back Blake Corum eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in the game (had 976 entering), becoming the first Wolverine with back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons since Denard Robinson in 2010 (1,702), 2011 (1,176), and 2012 (1,266). The last U-M running back to post consecutive 1,000-yard seasons was Mike Hart in 2006 (1,562) and 2007 (1,361).
- Corum added to his already-established single-season record of 22 rushing touchdowns (entering) with two more scores, setting a new Michigan benchmark with 24 rushing touchdowns this season. He remains the only FBS player to score in each game this season.
- In quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s 26 career starts, U-M is 25-1 for a winning percentage of 96.2, the best mark by any starting quarterback in at least the last 20 years. That winning rate ranks above those of Trevor Lawrence (34-2; 94.4), Tua Tagovailoa (22-2, 91.7) and Trevone Boykin (22-2, 91.7).
- McCarthy (5,718 career pass yards entering) passed Todd Collins (5,858 yards) for sixth on the all-time passing list at Michigan with 147 yards today.
- Corum (55 career rushing touchdowns) is tied with Anthony Thomas (55) for the most career rushing touchdowns in program history.
- The nation’s leading scorer, Corum scored twice in the game. The Hawkeyes had allowed only two rushing touchdowns this season entering the game, the fewest in the nation, with both scores coming within the red-zone.
- Iowa’s defense had allowed only nine touchdowns from inside the 20-yard line this season, tied with the Wolverines for first in the FBS.
- Michigan’s field goal drive on its first possession is the first time Iowa allowed a point on an opponent’s opening drive this season.
- Semaj Morgan’s 87-yard punt return is the longest in the history of the Big Ten Championship Game and came on his first collegiate return attempt. It is also the longest return allowed by Iowa’s Tory Taylor in his decorated career and the third-longest in modern-era (1948) Michigan history (Desmond Howard, 93 yards vs. Ohio State, 1991; David Brown, 88 yards vs. Colorado, 1974).
- Sainristil forced a second quarter fumble recovered by Kris Jenkins. It was Jenkins’ second takeaway of the year (interception, Bowling Green) and the first forced fumble in Sainristil’s career.
- It marked the 11th straight game that U-M has forced at least one interception, fumble or turnover on downs on the first series of an opponent’s drive, and the 12th time in 13 games overall.
- Sainristil added a second forced fumble in the third quarter. He is the 10th player in U-M history with two or more forced fumbles in one game.
- Braiden McGregor forced a fumble in the fourth quarter, recovered by Kenneth Grant.
- Iowa failed to pick up a first down across its last four possessions in the first half and first of the second half, failing to pick up a first down in five-of-seven first-half possessions overall.
- In total, Michigan has forced 24 turnovers (16 interceptions, eight fumble recoveries) and forced two safeties, while having lost seven turnovers themselves. The defense had a streak of at least one interception in seven straight games (Bowling Green to Purdue) and has one in 10-of-13 overall.
- In addition to the three fumbles forced on Saturday, Michigan also forced three turnovers on downs, all in the second half.
- Michigan led Iowa wire-to-wire on Saturday. U-M has trailed for only 23:33 of cumulative game time in 2023, as opposed to 1:11:39 through 13 games last season. The Wolverines have not trailed at any point in the second half all year.
- Michigan’s shutout of Iowa was the second in Big Ten Championship Game history (2014, Ohio State vs. Wisconsin). It was U-M’s second of the season (Michigan State). The last time Michigan recorded two or more shutouts in a season was 2015 (Weeks 4-6).
- Across the last three Big Ten Championship games, U-M has allowed just nine second-half points (to Purdue, 2022).
- U-M excels in the second half defensively. Opponents have accumulated 33 total first downs in 13 third quarters played. Eleven (11) of 13 teams failed to reach 75 yards of offense in the quarter and four teams were held under 15 yards of total offense.
- The FBS-leading 4.8 points per half that U-M is allowing across second halves so far this season is the lowest rate nationally. No team has scored more than twice in any half this season.
- Iowa’s 155 total offensive yards was the fewest the Michigan defense has allowed this season.
- Tommy Doman has five straight games with a punt at or inside the opponent’s 12-yard line.
- James Turner is the first kicker in Michigan history with three field goal conversions of 50-plus yards in one season (50, 50, 50). Turner’s 50-yard field goal in the fourth quarter is the longest in Big Ten Championship game history.
- Today’s game marked the second in a row that Turner has converted three or more field goal tries in a game. Those four conversions match his career single-game best, and is his single-game best at Michigan.
