One year ago, Iowa was scheduled to play Michigan during the Big Ten’s Champions Week in a contest that, while meaningful to the two teams’ fanbases, ultimately counted for nothing but pride. While the game never took place due to a COVID-19 outbreak on Michigan’s squad, the two programs are once again set to meet one another at the end of the conference season, this time with much higher stakes. On the line: the Big Ten Championship, something neither program has won since the two teams shared the conference title in 2004.
While much of college football has fallen in love with no-huddle offenses and spread passing attacks, Saturday’s Championship game will harken back to the Big Ten’s roots and feature two physical teams thoroughly committed to running the football and excelling on defense and special teams.