By DI Pregame Staff

Well, here it is. Iowa and Michigan. Hawkeyes and Wolverines. Jim Harbaugh and Kirk Ferentz. Good comparisons and comparisons that don’t mean anything.

But anyway.

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It’s a gorgeous night here in Iowa City as the Hawkeyes play host to arguably the second-best team in the country. It’s the best opponent Kinnick has hosted in quite some time, and it’s a big game. Michigan has College Football Playoff dreams; the Hawkeyes need another victory to get bowl eligible.

Iowa is still reeling after consecutive losses to Wisconsin and Penn State. The Wolverines, however, have had little issue with any of their opponents this season.

This could be an interesting game. It also has the potential to be a massive, ugly blowout.

Prediction time: 

Jordan — I don’t know how it’s going to happen, but Michigan is going to win tonight. This is a snakebitten and injured Iowa team that just can’t win games against good teams this year.

However, something weird is going to happen in this game. I’m not really sure what type of weird, but it just feels like tonight would be the night for something out of the ordinary this season. Perhaps that’s just my subconscious hoping for something different after the depressing slog this season has been, but all the same the feeling is there.

I’m certainly not saying the Hawkeyes are going to pull an upset or anything, of course. I wouldn’t be that foolish. Michigan is just too good, and Jim Harbaugh has this team playing at an incredible level in just his second year at the helm. It makes sense, of course. Harbaugh is a superb coach who went into a situation in which top-level players already want to join the team, but putting it all together deserves some serious props.

I think he really tries to stick it to Kirk Ferentz tonight, I honestly do.

Michigan 49, Iowa 10

…

Blake — 

I wrote Friday that Iowa sort of has a knack for finding one big moment during a season that in many ways is lost. That criterion certainly applies tonight versus Michigan.

I think Iowa will get that big moment at some point this season. Call it a going-away party for C.J. Beathard, if you will. But I personally think that moment will come against Nebraska in a couple weeks.

The talent disparity between Iowa and Michigan is just too much for the Hawkeyes to stay in this game. The Wolverines boast talent at every single position on the field and elite players at most.

With Greg Mabin and George Kittle both out for the tonight’s game, the Hawkeyes take a big hit on both sides of the ball. Kittle, when he has been healthy this season, has been one of Beathard’s best targets, plus he’s a key player in the running game.

The loss of Mabin on defense means either Amara Darboh or Jehu Chesson will be guarded by Josh Jackson or Manny Rugamba, and that doesn’t bode well for Iowa.

It’s going to take something crazy happening for Iowa to make this a game tonight. The offense doesn’t have the firepower to move the ball consistently, and the defense doesn’t have the horses to keep up with Michigan’s offense.

Iowa will need to find points from somewhere other than the offense — a Desmond King Pick-6 or return for a score would be huge.

But that still won’t be enough, as Michigan can beat you in so many ways.

Michigan 45, Iowa 17

…

Players to watch:

Jordan — Manny Rugamba, cornerback

Welcome to the big time, Manny. With Greg Mabin supposedly out tonight, he would be the next guy in line. How will he react? Well, it probably goes a decent ways to deciding the game. No pressure, though.

Blake — Miles Taylor, safety

Taylor has a tough task tonight against Michigan — provide help over the top against Darboh and Chesson, while also protecting against the intermediate threat that tight end Jake Butt presents.

When he’s not playing center field on passing downs, he’ll be asked to help out in the running game as well.

Michigan’s offense puts constant pressure on an opponent’s secondary, and with Mabin out, more responsibility will fall on Taylor.

In the past few weeks, Taylor has had a couple of crucial missed tackles and assignments. He will have to play an almost perfect game for Iowa to hold the Wolverines in check.