Michigan's Jim Harbaugh claims 'top-five teams go to die' at Iowa

Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh is familiar with what can happen to a top-five ranked opponent heading into at matchup at Iowa.

"As they say, (where) top-five teams go to die," Harbaugh said this week as the No. 4 Wolverines (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) prepared for Saturday’s game against the Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium.

The numbers back up Harbaugh's concerns.

In Iowa's most recent six home game against top-five teams, the Hawkeyes have come out on top five times. 

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Harbaugh also knows from personal experience what it's like to lose at Iowa. In 2016, Iowa took down a Harbaugh-led Michigan team, ranked No. 2 in the nation at the time, in a 14-13 thriller.

Overall, Michigan leads the series 43-15-4, but Iowa has won five of the last eight meetings.

"They just get so good at what they’re doing, they beat you with the execution," Harbaugh said. "They just out-fundamental you. They out-technique you."

Meanwhile, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz expects the sellout crowd to give his team a boost but knows the Hawkeyes will have to bring their best Saturday.

The matchup will feature a high-powered offense and a pesky defense that doesn't give up a lot of points.

Iowa's defense is allowing just 5.75 points per game, good for the best in the country. But Michigan's offense is the second-highest scoring in the nation with an average of 50 points per game. Michigan is only giving up 11 points per game, but Iowa's sluggish offense continues to be the worst in the Bowl Subdivision.

"If you are inaccurate with a throw — overthrow, underthrow, tipped ball — it’s highly likely it’s going to result in a turnover," Harbaugh said of the Hawkeyes. "If you’re not as sound as you can possibly be, you’re in for a rough one. The scheme is flawless."

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Ferentz noted his team will need to understand the importance every snap. 

"I think the challenge our players need to understand is each and every play, it’s like an NFL playoff game," Ferentz said. "Each and every play, something can happen."

It is important to note that the last two meetings have gone in Michigan's favor, including the most recent, a lopsided 42-3 Big Ten championship game victory at a neural site.

"Obviously, no one on our team had much fun last year," Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras said. "I think the trick is knowing this is 2022, not 2021."

Michigan's strong running game features Blake Corum who leads the nation with nine rushing touchdowns and is seventh with 479 rushing yards.

Last week, Corum rushed for 243 yards in a 34-27 win over Maryland.

Ferentz said Corum is a special running back. 

"He’s tenacious, doesn’t give up. Had an unbelievable game Saturday. It’s not surprising. He’s a high-motor guy," Ferentz said.

Iowa safety Kaevon Merriweather, who returned a fumble for a touchdown and had an interception in last Saturday’s 27-10 win at Rutgers, grew up in Belleville, Michigan, but wasn’t recruited by the Wolverines or Michigan State.

"I wouldn’t have expected them to recruit me," said Merriweather, who was expected to play college basketball. "I was, what, a zero-star recruit?"

Instead, Iowa discovered him and offered him a football scholarship.

"He’s … I don’t want to say a typical Iowa guy. That's a pretty broad description of players," Ferentz told the Associated Press. "But he does represent a little bit of some of the successful guys we’ve had, in that maybe he wasn’t necessarily a big recruit."

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Merriweather has never beaten the Wolverines, going 0-2 in a two-game stretch.

Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean has had an interception in three straight games, including a pick-6 against Rutgers.

DeJean threw for 3,445 yards and 35 touchdowns and rushed for 1,235 as a senior in high school.

Michigan and Iowa kick off Saturday at noon ET on FOX. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.