Get to know Iowa: A 26-year-old punter, a backup QB, and a stout defense

For the second time in three years, Michigan and Iowa will meet in the Big Ten championship in Indianapolis. The Wolverines won the 2021 matchup 42-3 and beat the Hawkeyes in Iowa City last season 27-14.

This season, Iowa is 10-2, with losses to Penn State and Minnesota not preventing the Hawkeyes from winning the Big Ten West by two games. Michigan is the East champ at 12-0.

Here are a few things to know about Iowa before Saturday night’s title game (8:17 p.m. ET, FOX).

Iowa’s MVP might be its punter

Ask any football coach about the importance of field position and it’s no wonder why Iowa has so much love for punter Tory Taylor.

The 26-year-old Australian has a big leg (and a big body overall; he’s 6-foot-4 and 232 pounds). He’s among three finalists for the Ray Guy Award, given to the country’s top punter. Taylor booms his punts with a lot of hang time and, when required, shows the necessary touch to pin opponents deep. He rarely punts the ball into the end zone.

Iowa has punted 80 times this year. That’s the most in college football and more than twice as many as Michigan’s 36 punts (only 10 teams have punted less than Michigan).

“You rely on your strengths and play towards those,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “That’s been our strategy.”

A battle for the Broyles

Michigan offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore and Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker are among the five finalists for the Broyles Award, given to the country’s top assistant coach. Saturday’s matchup could go a long way in determining the winner.

Michigan fans know what Moore has meant to the team this season, both with his play calling and as the interim head coach for four games, including the last three of the regular season. Jim Harbaugh, whose suspensions allowed Moore to step in, nominated Moore as a “Michigan legend” this week.

Parker has been at Iowa since Ferentz was hired as head coach in 1999, and has been the defensive coordinator since 2012. This season, Iowa is allowing just 12.2 points per game (fourth nationally) and 280 yards per game (seventh). Moore called him an “amazing” defensive coordinator. “Disciplined, tough, physical,” Moore said of Iowa’s defense. “They don’t hurt themselves, they don’t mistakes. They make you execute at a high level. And they create chaos in simple ways.”

Given Michigan’s excellent offense, when the Wolverines have the ball on Saturday it will be strength vs. strength.

Backup QB steps in

You’ve heard the phrase “unstoppable force vs. an immovable object.” When Michigan’s defense faces Iowa’s offense, it will be more like an impenetrable force vs. an immobile object.

Michigan ranks first in the country in scoring defense (10.3 points per game allowed) and second in total defense. Iowa is averaging 24 yards per game fewer than any other team in college football. Oddsmakers have given Iowa just about a 50 percent chance of scoring more than six points on Saturday.

Injuries have played a factor there. Michigan transfer Cade McNamara tore his ACL in the fifth game of the season, forcing Deacon Hill to step in at quarterback. Hill is large - 6-foot-3, 258 pounds - but not a runner. He’s struggled as a passer, too, completing just 48 percent of his throws this season. He’s thrown five touchdowns against six interceptions and is averaging 88.7 passing yards per game.

Ferentz admitted this week he was “really concerned” about Hill in August because he’d spent the past two years on the scout team at Wisconsin. Ferentz has seen improvement as the season has gone on, but Hill will need to find another level to give Iowa a chance to move the ball against Michigan.