Michigan-Iowa gets 3:30 p.m. CBS kick at Michigan Stadium

Michigan now has a kickoff time for its first Big Ten game of the season.

The Wolverines will host Iowa at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 26, with the game televised nationally on CBS, the Big Ten announced.

It sets up what could be one of the more important games of the early conference schedule. Michigan is currently ranked No. 19, while Iowa sits at No. 18, putting a potential ranked matchup in the traditional mid-afternoon CBS window at Michigan Stadium.

Michigan still has business to handle first.

The Wolverines are 2-0 after escaping Western Michigan in the opener and following it with a much more encouraging win over Oklahoma. UTEP comes to Ann Arbor this weekend, giving Kyle Whittingham’s team another opportunity to clean up some of the issues that have surfaced through two games before Big Ten play begins.

Then the stakes change.

Iowa has rarely been an easy opponent for Michigan, even during a stretch in which the Wolverines have controlled the series. Michigan has won the last four meetings, including a 26-0 shutout in the 2023 Big Ten Championship Game. The Wolverines also beat Iowa 42-3 in the 2021 conference title game, 27-14 in Iowa City in 2022, and 10-3 at Michigan Stadium in 2019.

Michigan leads the all-time series 45-15-4.

This year’s matchup could provide a much better measuring stick for where the Wolverines stand entering the heart of the Big Ten schedule.

Michigan’s defense already looks capable of carrying a significant load, while Bryce Underwood and a young offense took an encouraging step against Oklahoma. But the run game, offensive consistency, and self-inflicted mistakes remain areas Michigan needs to improve.

If both teams take care of business before Sept. 26, Michigan-Iowa could become more than just the conference opener. It could be an early opportunity for the Wolverines to add another ranked win and establish themselves as a legitimate factor in the Big Ten race.