Week 8– Iowa at #2 Michigan
Opening Line: Michigan - 13
Saturday, 3:30 pm Eastern
ABC

Is Michigan on the path to 1997?

#2 Michigan (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) looks to keep rolling toward a season-ending showdown with top-ranked Ohio State when it hosts Iowa (5-2, 2-2) on Saturday and with Michigan creeping closer to the chance of repeating for a national title, SBG Global reports that smart money is counting on another win from the Wolverines.

''As a football team we're happy, obviously, with the fact that we are where we are as far as a record,'' Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr said. ''But it really does not have any significance now. There should be something in there that's a motivating factor because we don't live in a vacuum.''
Michigan put together another dominant defensive effort in a 17-10 victory at Penn State last week. The Wolverines had seven sacks and held the Nittany Lions to minus-14 yards rushing on 25 carries. Defensive end LaMarr Woodley was named Big Ten defensive player of the week Monday for recording 2 1/2 sacks, a forced fumble and a season-best five tackles against Penn State. He has 19 tackles this season, 10 for a loss, to go along with seven sacks.

Iowa is coming off a stunning 31-28 upset at the hands of Indiana. ''You can never take the field not prepared to give your best,'' Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. ''If you do, you leave the door open against a team that's hustling, that's very spirited and very well-coached and that's what Indiana is.''

Michigan is a 13 point favorite with a total of 44 at SBG Global

Michigan is likely to rely on top rusher Mike Hart, who ran for 112 yards last week, to pound an Iowa defense that's giving up 135.1 yards per game on the ground. Not helping the Hawkeyes, however, is a bad injury situation. Iowa may be without its top receiver (Dominique Douglas), running back (Albert Young), left tackle (Dace Richardson) and defensive lineman (Mitch King) against the Wolverines.
''We've got a lot of guys that are hurt,'' Ferentz said. ''That's part of the game.''

Iowa lost its first matchup of the season with a ranked team, Ohio State, 38-17 on Sept. 30. Michigan has won eight of the last 10 meetings with Iowa, although five of the last seven have been decided by six points or less, including the Wolverines' 23-20 overtime win Oct. 22.

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