INDIANAPOLIS — The Michigan Wolverines are Big Ten champions.
It was No. 2 Michigan's defense that led the way in Saturday's Big Ten Championship Game, a 42-3 rout of No. 13 Iowa.
The Wolverines were heavily favored, but it was their first time playing in the conference title game.
After a missed Hawkeye field goal in the first quarter, the Wolverines quickly took the lead 7-0 on a 67-yard Blake Corum touchdown run. Michigan then added on a 75-yard trick play touchdown pass from running back Donovan Edwards to wide receiver Roman Wilson.
Despite forcing two first half turnovers—both interceptions—the Hawkeyes trailed 14-3 going at halftime.
Jim Harbaugh's team totaled 161 yards compared to Iowa's 279. The Wolverines passed for 250 yards and rushed for 211, while the Hawkeyes passed for 175 and rushed for 104.
Cade McNamara threw for 169 yards on 16-of-24 passing, one touchdown and an interception. The Wolverines as a team rushed for 211 yards on 34 carries, led by Corum Blake (five rushes for 74 yards and a touchdown) and Hassan Haskins (17 rushes, 56 yards and two touchdowns).
Spencer Petras finished 9-of-22 for 137 yards passing. Alex Padilla, who came in to relieve Petras in the second half, finished 10-of-15 for 38 yards passing and an interception.
The Wolverines are now 12-1 on the year, and the Hawkeyes are 10-3.
The win solidifies Michigan's spot in the College Football Playoff.
Here's how the top CFP teams performed Saturday:
- No. 1: Georgia (12-1 following a 41-24 loss to No. 3 Alabama in the SEC Championship Game)
- No. 2: Michigan (12-1 following 41-3 win over No. 13 Iowa)
- No. 3: Alabama (12-1 following 41-24 win over No. 1 Georgia in SEC Championship Game)
- No. 4: Cincinnati (13-0 following 35-20 win over No. 21 Houston in American Athletic Conference Championship Game)
- No. 5: Oklahoma State (11-2 following 21-16 loss to No. 9 Baylor in Big 12 Championship Game)
- No. 6: Notre Dame (11-1, no conference champoinship game)
By-the-minute game updates can be seen below
FINAL: Michigan 42, Iowa 3
Fourth Quarter
0:00
Iowa runs one final play, and that'll do it.
FINAL: Michigan 42, Iowa 3
1:25
Donovan Edwards takes it in from a yard out.
Michigan 42, Iowa 3
4:22
Alex Padilla throws a little high, it goes off the hands of a Hawkeye receive and is intercepted.
4:42
Alex Padilla now just hoping to pick up some 1st downs. Now 3rd and 4 at their own 31.
5:24
Erick All backs up his previous catch on the drive with a 5-yard touchdown reception from Cade McNamara.
Michigan 35, Iowa 3
5:55
Michigan continuing to pound the ball with a 17-yard Cornelius Johnson rush.
8:00
Cade McNamara hits Erick All for a 38-yard completion.
That's followed by an 11-yard Hassan Haskins run, and the Wolverines are at the Iowa 31.
9:45
Iowa goes three and out. Tory Taylor punts again.
11:16
An incredible, 22-yard reception by Luke Schoonmaker leads to a 1-yard Hassan Haskins touchdown.
Michigan 28, Iowa 3
12:49
Tory Taylor's punt is blocked, and Michigan gets prime field position at the Hawkeye 36.
12:56
Iowa picks up one first down, but then goes three more plays and out.
14:02
It's a 61-yard punt for Michigan, and Iowa will start at their own 23.
14:55
Michigan runs it on 3rd and long with no luck. They will punt.
Third Quarter
0:00
Iowa with a huge tackle for loss on 1st down, followed by a short Michigan run on 2nd down.
The fourth quarter will start with a 3rd and 15.
Michigan 21, Iowa 3
1:10
Padill rolls to his right but has nothing, turns back to his left and the pressure is there. All he can do is throw it to Tyler Goodson for a completion, but it's a loss of seven.
1:49
Padilla takes a couple steps to his left, but the completion to Sam LaPorta only gets a yard as the coverage is right there.
4th and 3 at the Michigan 8.
2:32
Tyler Goodson runs it on back-to-back plays, and it'll be 3rd and 4 at the Michigan 9.
3:41
Arland Bruce IV gets a catch for 10 yards, and the Hawkeyes pick up another 1st down.
4:14
Alex Padilla fires it to Tyler Goodson for an 8-yard completion and another Hawkeye first down.
6:00
Hawkeyes convert another 3rd down, this time 3rd and 1, as Padilla fakes the fullback dive and pitches it to Tyler Goodson for a 10-yard gain.
7:32
Alex Padilla completes the screen pass to Tyler Goodson for 17 yards, and Iowa converts the 3rd and 8.
8:23
Michigan kits it for a touchback. Iowa will start at their own 25.
Alex Padilla is in at quarterback for the Hawkeyes.
8:23
Cade McNamara completes it 27 yards to Luke Schoonmaker who takes it down to the Iowa 4.
Hassan Haskins runs it in on the next play for a 4-yard touchdown.
Michigan 21, Iowa 3
10:06
Michigan picks up another 1st down, their third of this drive.
11:40
Iowa commits a defensive holding call on a 2nd down run. Michigan now with 1st and 10 at the Iowa 45.
13:27
Spencer Petras fires incomplete on 3rd and 5. Intended receiver was Nico Ragaini.
Tory Taylor punts it 52 yards and Michigan returns it to their own 18.
14:18
Iowa receives the second half kickoff and starts with back-to-back incompletions.
Petras hits Matt LaPorta for a big 3rd down conversion.
HALFTIME: Michigan 14, Iowa 3
- TOTAL YARDS: Michigan 253, Iowa 161
- PASS YARDS: Michigan 137, Iowa 126
- RUSH YARDS: Michigan 116, Iowa 35
- PENALTIES: Michigan 3-35, Iowa 2-25
- YARDS/PLAY: Michigan 8.2, Iowa 4.4
- TIME OF POSSESSION: Michigan 12:45, Iowa 17.15
- TURNOVERS: Michigan 2, Iowa 0
Second Quarter
0:00
J.J. McCarthy fires it downfield as time expires and it is picked off by Jermari Harris.
0:07
Cade McNamara fires over the middle but it hits his receiver in the chest and falls to the ground.
4th and 7.
0:30
Michigan using some shorter passes, now 2nd and 7 at their own 48.
0:51
Tory Taylor punts, and it is downed at the Michigan 32.
1:05
Tyler Goodson runs it for seven and it's now a 4th and 13.
Michigan takes their second timeout.
1:11
Incomplete pass on 1st down, followed by a sack by Aidan Hutchinson on 2nd down.
Wolverines call a timeout with 1:11 to go and a 3rd and 20 coming up.
1:21
Iowa is able to sack Cade McNamara on 3rd down, and Michigan punts.
Hawkeyes will take over at their own 20.
3:50
Cade McNamara runs straight ahead for 15 yards and a Michigan 1st down.
3:54
Michigan starts with an 11-yard pass, then a run play for a loss of two.
On 2nd and 12, Cade McNamara just misses on a throw to Cornelius Johnson. 3rd and 12 now from their own 18.
5:00
Tory Taylor punts, and for the third time in a row, the Wolverines will start inside their own 10 yard line.
5:05
Keagan Johnson makes a nice grab to get a big chunk of yards, but they only get 13 of 17.
4th and 4 from the Michigan 49 and the Hawkeyes will punt once again.
6:11
There is a whistle on the play. They are reviewing if the previous play was targeting.
After view: No penalty for targeting.
6:37
Petras somehow escapes pressure and scrambles for the first down.
Flag on the play (offensive holding) will bring it back, though. 3rd and 17 now at their own 38.
6:46
A short run by Tyler Goodson is followed by an incomplete pass intended for Sam LaPorta.
3rd and 7 coming up from the Iowa 48.
7:30
Charlie Jones again tries to run it to the outside on the punt return. He fumbles but out of bounds.
Iowa takes over at their own 45.
7:41
Iowa forces another three and out after a good pressure from Jack Campbell on 3rd down.
Wolverines take a timeout, but they'll be punting from their own end zone.
9:08
Iowa unable to pick up another 1st down, but the Tory Taylor punt is fair caught inside the Michigan five.
10:46
Starting at their own 41, Spencer Petras hits Charlie Jones for a 13-yard gain into Michigan territory.
11:03
Cade McNamara avoids pressure, launches a long pass downfield but it's incomplete. Nearly picked, but Michigan will punt from deep in their own territory following the three and out.
12:31
Iowa unable to recover from the penalty, runs a couple of short plays to bring up 4th down.
Tory Taylor's punt fair caught inside the 10.
14:12
Iowa's first penalty of the game is a big one: 15 yards for tripping. Leads to 2nd and 23 from their own 37.
14:56
The second quarter starts with an incomplete pass on 3rd down, but a Michigan unsportsmanlike conduct penalty gives the Iowa drive new life.
First Quarter
00:00
An incompletion on 1st down is followed by an Arland Bruce IV run.
First quarter over: Michigan 14, Iowa 3.
00:17
A Cade McNamara pass goes off the hands of tight end Erick All and is picked off by linebacker Jack Campbell.
1:19
Michigan starts their drive with a reverse play to A.J. Henning for 29 yards. And just like that, Michigan is at the Iowa 46.
1:26
Caleb Shudak gets Iowa on the board with a 22-yard field goal.
Michigan 14, Iowa 3
1:29
Petras looking for Keagan Johnson on 3rd and goal but it's incomplete. Very tight coverage by DJ Turner of Michigan.
2:00
After a 1st and goal Tyler Goodson run, Gavin Williams runs inside the 5. 3rd and goal upcoming.
3:07
Petras finds Charlie Jones over the middle of the field, a 28-yard completion down to the Michigan 9.
4:17
Sam LaPorta hauls in his third catch of the day and gets the 1st down.
Hawkeyes now in Wolverine territory at the 40.
4:22
After Gavin Williams runs it on 1st down, Michigan brings pressure and Petras throws it to ... no one.
3rd and 7 upcoming.
5:19
Iowa starts their next drive with a 22-yard reception for Luke Lachey. That'll take it to the Hawkeyes 47.
5:27
It's Michigan with the trickeration this time, or as Gus Johnson says, "pulling a rabbit out of his hat."
It's a Cade McNamara pass to Donovan Edwards, who throws it to a wide open Roman Wilson for a 75-yard touchdown.
Michigan 14, Iowa 3
5:37
Tory Taylor's punt is 52 yards, and returned for six yards. Michigan will start at their own 25.
5:46
Petras, facing some pressure, unable to complete the 3rd down pass. The Hawkeyes will punt.
6:33
An incomplete pass followed by a short run sets up Iowa with a 3rd and 7.
6:38
Blake Corum breaks loose, gets down the sideline with the help of multiple blockers and scores on a 67-yard touchdown run.
7:05
Michigan makes back the yardage and gets a 1st down on back-to-back six-yard completions from Cade McNamara.
7:56
Michigan takes over at their own 20.
False start on 2nd and 4 will back up the Wolverines.
8:35
Caleb Shudak's 33-yard field goal is no good.
9:10
Iowa hands it off on 3rd and 5 but it loses yards. Hawkeyes will have to attempt the field goal.
9:56
Some trickeration as Gavin Williams throws the pass to Monte Pottebaum but it's just out of reach and incomplete.
10:24
Petras fakes the handoff, rolls to his right and hits Sam LaPorta in stride for a 21-yard gain. 1st down Iowa at the Michigan 17.
11:09
On 3rd and 7, Petras goes deep for Keagan Johnson but is incomplete. Flag on the play is defensive pass inference, giving Iowa a 1st down.
Goodson runs it on the next play, setting up a 2nd down inside the Michigan 40.
12:30
After a 1st down run that goes for a couple yards, Sam LaPorta makes a catch-and-spin, converting for the 1st down.
Charlie Jones fair catches the punt at the Iowa 26.
13:17
Mike Sainristil unable to make it around the corner on a 3rd down run, and the Wolverines punt.
Michigan runs it on back-to-back plays to start the game, setting up a 3rd down and 3 at their own 32.
15:00
Michigan calls tails on the coin toss and it lands heads.
Hawkeyes defer the ball to the second half and will kick off to the Wolverines.
2021 Big Ten Championship Game
- No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 13 Iowa
- Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)
- 7 p.m. on FOX (You can also listen nationwide via the Hawkeye Radio Network or 1040 AM in the Des Moines radio market)
- Live stats can be found here
Pregame
6:54 p.m.
The picks from the FOX panel: Brady Quinn, Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart pick Michigan. Bob Stoops, a University of Iowa alum, picks the Hawkeyes.
And in case you missed it: Check out Michigan's hype video plus Iowa's, which was narrated by WWE Champion Ettore "Big E" Ewen.
6:27 p.m.
Ivory Kelly-Martin is warming up for the Hawkeyes. The senior has 44 carries for 190 yards on the year (4.3 yards per carry) and one touchdown.
Saturday Morning
Unsurprisingly, the entire "College GameDay" crew, including guest picker Zac Brown, picks Michigan.
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WATCH: Here's how much it will cost you to go to 2021 Big Ten Championship Game