Eric Gordon (43) and Michigan State showed that Tate Forcier remains vulnerable if Michigan can't get its ground game going. (Todd McInturf/The Detroit News)
So here it is, the near-midway point of Michigan's season.
It's 4-1 after Saturday's 26-20 overtime loss at Michigan State, which dropped the Wolverines from the national polls (technically No. 31 in both the AP and USA Today/Coaches' polls).
Michigan goes on the road for the second straight time, this time to No. 12 and unbeaten Iowa in a night game.
The Wolverines are two wins from being bowl eligible, and with seven games remaining, that certainly seems attainable, particularly since three opponents -- Delaware State, at Illinois and Purdue -- are a combined 3-9 (its other opponents, Iowa, Penn State, Ohio State and Wisconsin, are a combined 18-2).
Hawkeyes a big obstacle
But first things first.
There are some questions:
No one should underestimate not only how tough an opponent can be, but how tough it can be, too, on its home field.
Iowa, on a nine-game winning streak since last season, is off to its best start (5-0) since 1995, and has won 41 of 49 at home dating to the 2002 season. Among its losses was a 23-20 overtime setback to Michigan in 2005.
Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez frequently dismisses series history and general discussion about what teams did in the past.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz also doesn't buy into the history talk, nor does he make any assumptions about the upcoming game.
"I'm trying to remember the last time in my 20 years, I can't remember the last time I saw a Michigan team that didn't have good players," Ferentz said after Iowa's close victory over Arkansas State on Saturday. "I haven't scouted these guys at all, but it sure looks from what I'm seeing now, scores, statistics, that they've gotten through the (coaching) transition. ...
"We caught part of the Notre Dame game coming back on the bus from Iowa State, and the quarterback (Tate Forcier) sure got all of our attention just sitting here watching casually. They've got a good football team."
Michigan, of course, will have to be considerably better than it was in the loss at Michigan State.
The Wolverines, who pretty much played defense the entire first half, had minus-3 yards rushing the first half and finished with 251 yards offense, well below their average 422.2.
angelique.chengelis@detnews.com">angelique.chengelis@detnews.com
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