Following Michigan's dominant win over Ohio State last Saturday, some within the Michigan fan base have expressed concerns that the Wolverines could be in for a letdown in Indy. For these folks, the fear is that the win over the No. 2 ranked Buckeyes - and the ongoing celebration that continues in Ann Arbor - might distract the team from focusing on a formidable opponent in Iowa.
In years past, overlooking an opponent or failing to prepare might have been a concern for the Michigan Football program - but not this year.
Anchored by veteran leaders like Aidan Hutchinson, Josh Ross and Ronnie Bell, the Michigan Wolverines have climbed their way back into the national title hunt after nearly two decades of watching from home. Even more impressive than the 11-1 regular season record is how the Wolverines got there along the way. In the era of high-tempo spread offense, Michigan carved a pathway to Indy by bullying its way on the ground. Led by one of the top offensive lines in the nation, the Wolverines are proving you can still compete for national championships the old-fashioned way: brute force.
With a conference championship and a trip to the College Football Playoff on the line, the Wolverines have no intention of losing focus now. For proof, look no further than Zak Zinter's recent twitter post.
It's a safe bet that the 2nd-Team All-Big Ten guard isn't just speaking for himself, but instead speaking on behalf of the entire Michigan Football program.
Junior quarterback Cade McNamara echoed the same sentiments earlier in the week, making clear that the Big Ten Championship has Michigan's full attention.
“Beating Ohio State is definitely one of, if not the pinnacle, of my career,” said McNamara. “Just being a part of this team is an honor. For us to finally get over the hump of beating Ohio State, means so much not just to me but the rest of these guys. As we continue to go into this week of preparation, we’re going to watch the film today as soon as today is over, that game is over as well. We’ll come back and appreciate that game after the season.
"For the time now, we have to beat the Hawkeyes and take home a Big Ten Championship. There’s not one dude on this team that has a ring. That was one of the goals that we wanted to achieve this season and now we have to go on and achieve the next one.”
Here's how to catch the Big Ten Championship game this weekend between No. 2 Michigan and No. 13 Iowa:
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 4
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX
- Location: Indianapolis, Indiana - Lucas Oil Stadium
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