#2 Michigan vs. #16 Iowa
Dec. 2, 2023 | Indianapolis, Ind. | Lucas Oil Stadium | Big Ten Championship Game
POSTGAME NOTES
No. 2 Michigan (13-0) defeated No. 16 Iowa (10-3), 26-0, in the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- LB Jay Higgins had 14 tackles – his ninth game this season with 10 or more tackles (10th of his career).
- Higgins has led or tied for the team lead in tackles in 11 of Iowa’s 13 games.
- Higgins has 155 tackles this season – the fourth-most in a single season in program history, trailing only Andre Jackson (171), Abdul Hodge (158) and Chad Greenway (156).
- DB Sebastian Castro had a career-high nine tackles.
- TE Addison Ostrenga had a team-high seven catches for 50 yards. It is his third game with five or more receptions this season.
- WR Kaleb Brown had five catches for 34 yards – his third straight game with three or more receptions.
- WR Nico Ragaini had three catches for 25 yards, moving him into fifth place in career receptions (154) and 20th in career receiving yards (1,594).
- Punter Tory Taylor had seven punts for 353 yards, including four over 50 yards and a season-long 67-yarder in the second quarter.
- Taylor’s 67-yard punt is the second-longest in Big Ten Championship Game history.
- His 353 yards are the second-most in BTCG history, his seven punts are tied for third and his 50.4 average is fourth.
MISCELLANEOUS
- Iowa’s defense limited Michigan to 213 yards of total offense – 182 below its season average.
- The Hawkeyes held the Wolverines to 66 rushing yards. Michigan entered the game averaging 169.8 yards on the ground.
- It is the 27th consecutive game Iowa’s defense has allowed fewer than 400 yards — the longest active streak nationally.
- Michigan drove 52-yards over 13 plays , spanning 7:35 en route to a field goal. The three points were the first the Hawkeyes have allowed on an opening possession this season.
- The Wolverines had 46 yards of total offense on its four other scoring drives in the game.
- Michigan’s Semaj Morgan had an 87-yard punt return to set up the Wolverines’ first touchdown. The return was the longest play against Iowa this season and the longest return in Big Ten Championship Game history.
- Michigan won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. Iowa received. The Hawkeyes have played 314 games under head coach Kirk Ferentz. Iowa has opened the game on offense 231 times (149-82). The Hawkeyes have opened the game on defense 83 times (47-36).
INSTANT REPLAY
1)           Deacon Hill pass – rule incomplete pass on field (overturned, ruled a fumble and Michigan recovery)
2)           Blake Corum forward progress stopped – ruled short (confirmed)
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes will learn their bowl fate on Sunday afternoon.
