INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — No. 18 Iowa won the Big Ten West by mucking things up for everyone else.
The Hawkeyes’ strategy failed them Saturday night.
While the defense did its part by holding one of the nation’s best offenses to two touchdowns and four field goals, their offensive struggles resurfaced in a 26-0 loss to No. 2 Michigan — their second conference title-game loss to the Wolverines in three years.
“Tonight is a low point,” coach Kirk Ferentz said following the second shutout in the Big Ten’s 13-game history. “These guys laid it out there. This guy (linebacker Jay Higgins), plus a bunch of other guys, laid it out there. Everybody laid it out there. Didn’t go our way, but they’ll get back on their feet because that’s the kind of people they are.”
The Hawkeyes entered championship week with the FBS’ No. 4 scoring defense and it didn’t disappoint. Iowa sacked Big Ten quarterback of the year J.J. McCarthy four times, and limited the conference’s running back of the year, Blake Corum, to 52 yards on 16 carries.
Iowa allowed only 213 total yards and was the first team to hold Michigan to fewer than 14 first-half points this season.
Against a typical West Division opponent, that may have been good enough.
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