Michigan’s mistakes leave the door open for Iowa’s walk-off win

Michigan spent most of Saturday looking like the better football team against Iowa.

It moved the ball. It controlled possession. Its defense repeatedly shut down the Hawkeyes. Bryce Underwood found Andrew Marsh and JJ Buchanan against Iowa’s secondary, while the Wolverines eventually started creating room on the ground.

None of it was enough.

Hank Brown found Reece Vander Zee for a 16-yard touchdown as time expired, completing a 91-yard drive and giving Iowa a stunning 20-19 win over Michigan.

The final score looked nothing like the game Michigan had played for most of four quarters. In the end, it was the exact way Iowa wins games like this.

The Wolverines finished with a 429-285 advantage in total offense, including 276 passing yards. Michigan had 21 first downs to Iowa’s 16, averaged 6.3 yards per play and held the ball for 34:29.

Underwood finished 17-of-28 for 276 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Buchanan caught five passes for 130 yards and scored both Michigan touchdowns, while Marsh continued his strong start with seven receptions for 106 yards.

Michigan’s first touchdown drive was one of Underwood’s best stretches of the afternoon. Starting at its own 11, the offense marched 89 yards in nine plays, with Underwood hitting Marsh for gains of 27 and 20 yards before finding Buchanan for an 18-yard touchdown on third-and-7.

Fourteen seconds later, the game was tied.

Braeden Jackson returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for an Iowa touchdown, wiping away much of the momentum Michigan had built during a dominant opening quarter.

That became the theme.

Michigan repeatedly moved the ball only to hurt itself. A Brady Norton holding penalty erased an Underwood third-down conversion in the first quarter. Jake Guarnera was later called for holding on another Underwood run that would have converted third down late in the first half.

Michigan also came away empty on fourth-and-1 from the Iowa 18 when Underwood was stopped short after trying to reach over the line for the first down.

The Wolverines led only 10-7 at halftime despite holding a 232-77 advantage in total yards.

The missed opportunities continued after halftime. Michigan drove to the Iowa 18 on its first possession of the third quarter before another holding call pushed the offense backward. Underwood was intercepted three plays later.

The defense immediately bailed Michigan out, forcing a three-and-out deep in Iowa territory.

Michigan then leaned heavily on its rushing attack, running the ball nine consecutive times on a drive that reached the Iowa 5. The Wolverines again failed to finish, however, settling for a 22-yard Trey Butkowski field goal and a 13-7 lead.

Iowa finally broke through offensively early in the fourth quarter to take a 14-13 lead.

Underwood responded immediately.

After a 14-yard completion to Marsh and consecutive productive runs from Savion Hiter, Underwood took a deep shot to Buchanan that fell incomplete under pressure. Michigan went right back to it on the next play.

This time, Underwood connected with Buchanan for a 49-yard touchdown that put Michigan back ahead, 19-14.

The defense appeared ready to finish the job.

Chris Bracy made two huge plays on Iowa’s next possession, hurrying Brown into an incompletion on second down before breaking up another pass on third-and-8.

Iowa later appeared headed for a fourth-and-1 attempt at the Michigan 28, but a false start forced a 51-yard field goal attempt that Caden Buhr missed.

Michigan had the ball with 2:33 remaining and a chance to end it. Three conservative rushing plays gained only seven yards, forcing a punt and giving Iowa one final opportunity from its own 9 with 1:46 remaining.

Jyaire Hill broke up Brown’s pass on third-and-12 with 19 seconds left, but Zeke Berry was called for unnecessary roughness. Instead of facing fourth-and-12 from its own 40, Iowa received 15 yards and an automatic first down.

That penalty changed everything.

Brown eventually hit Addison Ostrenga for 29 yards to the Michigan 16 with two seconds remaining. Iowa managed one final snap, and Brown found Vander Zee in the end zone as the clock hit zero.

Michigan spent nearly the entire afternoon controlling the game.

It just never put it away. Now they are 4-1 with an opening loss in the Big Ten.