Michigan Football 2026 Opponent Preview: Iowa
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The Michigan Wolverines will begin conference play this season with their 65th all-time meeting with the Iowa Hawkeyes, a series the Wolverines lead, 45-15-4.
Michigan has won five of its last six against Iowa, but no one in Ann Arbor has forgotten the lone loss in 2016. Given Michigan’s recent history in Big Ten openers — only one game decided by more than one possession since 2021 — this early-season meeting could serve as an inflection point for both programs with dreams of the College Football Playoff.
Let’s get familiar with the Hawkeyes.
Coaching Staff
- Head Coach: Kirk Ferentz (28th season)
- Offensive Coordinator: Tim Lester (3rd season)
- Defensive Coordinator: Phil Parker (15th season)
2025 Record
- 9-4 (6-3), sixth in the Big Ten
2025 Production Ranks
- Scoring Offense: 54th (Eighth in the Big Ten)
- Total Offense: 60th (15th in the Big Ten)
- Scoring Defense: Eighth (Third in the Big Ten)
- Total Defense: Ninth (Fourth in the Big Ten)
2025 TL;DR Recap
In one regard, this was not your typical Iowa team last season. Despite a few familiar offensive woes, all four of Iowa’s losses were by five points or less, and the Hawkeyes held a lead in three of them — Indiana, Oregon, USC — inside the final two minutes. In another regard, it was your typical Iowa team. Bolstered by another great Phil Parker defense and a Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line, the Hawkeyes won nine games and defeated Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
Key Departures
- QB Mark Gronowski (166-of-262, 1,741 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, seven interceptions; 545 rushing yards 16 touchdowns)
- DB/KR/PR Kaden Wetjen (All-Purpose first-team All-American)
- C Logan Jones (First-team All-American)
- DE Ethan Hurkett (36 tackles, eight sacks, 10.5 TFLs)
- DE Max Llewellyn (26 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 9.5 TFLs)
- LB Karson Sharar (83 tackles, four sacks, 12 TFLs)
- DB Koen Entringer (73 tackles, 3.5 TFLs)
Key Returners
- DB Zach Lutmer (71 tackles, one sack, 5.5 TFLs, three interceptions)
- TE DJ Vonnahme (29 receptions for 434 yards and three touchdowns)
- G/C Kaden Pieper (Third-team All-Big Ten)
- LT Trevor Lauck (Third-team All-Big Ten)
- RB Kamari Moulton (170 carries for 878 rushing yards and five touchdowns)
- DB Deshaun Lee (34 tackles, one TFL, two interceptions)
- LB Jayden Montgomery (44 tackles and one TFL)
Key Transfer Additions
- S Tyler Brown (James Madison)
- S Anthony Hawkins (Villanova)
- DE Kahmari Brown (Elon)
- DE Lance Ingold (Northern Illinois)
- DT Emmanuel Olagbaju (North Dakota)
- G Trent Wilson (James Madison)
Preseason Preview & Record Predictions
Per Athlon:
“Just six starters are back from an Iowa squad that won nine games and suffered four defeats – including a 20-15 loss to eventual national champion Indiana – by one score. Despite the heavy personnel turnover, expect coach Kirk Ferentz to find the right answers to keep the Hawkeyes in contention to finish in the top 25. The strength of the ‘26 squad rests with an offensive line returning standouts in Trevor Lauck and Kade Pieper. That duo will ease the transition around the other three spots and clear plenty of running lanes for backs Kamari Moulton and Lendon Phillips Jr. Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown will continue their quarterback battle to replace Mark Gronowski into the fall, while Ferentz is counting on a couple of transfers to fill voids at receiver. Tight end DJ Vonnahme should push for All-America honors. Coordinator Phil Parker has just three starters returning, but it’s tough to doubt this unit considering his track record.”
CBS: 9-3
CFN: 8-4
ESPN FPI: 7.6-4.4
Sports Illustrated: Over 7.5
Maize n Brew Thoughts
It’s Iowa. A team as consistent as gravity in one of the most inconsistent sports on the planet. The Hawkeyes have not won less than eight games in more than a decade — excluding a 6-2 shortened season in 2020 — and are a threat to keep this trend alive in 2026. There are questions aplenty on the defensive side of the ball, but I am of the opinion that as long as Parker is calling the shots, the unit will be formidable. However, would it be an Iowa team if there were no questions at quarterback?
Ferentz decided to stay in-house for Mark Gronowski’s successor, and the battle between Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown will continue into the fall. Despite the disparity in their experience, Hecklinski is expected to have an edge after the spring. With Kamari Moulton returning as a bell-cow back behind another great offensive line, Iowa will only need Hecklinski to be a risk-averse game manager for this offense to be successful. The Hawkeyes are 20-2 over the last four years when rushing for 150 yards or more.
With an early-season slate on par with Notre Dame’s average strength of schedule, Iowa should enter this game against Michigan undefeated and prepared to throw everything at the Wolverines before welcoming Ohio State to Kinnick the following week
This game will come down to old-school, Big Ten fundamentals: whoever wins the trenches and turnover battle will win the game. The fact this game is not at Kinnick is a relief, but Michigan can never take the Hawkeyes lightly.
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