ANN ARBOR, Mich. Oct 21, 2006 (AP) Mike Hart and the Michigan defense brushed off the burden that has come with being No. 2 by bullying Iowa around the Big House.
With Northwestern, Ball State and Indiana coming up for Michigan, the Hawkeyes 5-3, 2-3 Big Ten appeared to be the only serious stumbling block between the Wolverines 8-0, 5-0 and an undefeated record going into the Ohio State game on Nov. 18. But No.
2 has been a sticky spot in the Top 25 this season. Four times already this season No. 2 has gone down, including the previous two weeks when Auburn and Florida fell.
Iowa, coming off a stunning 31-28 loss at Indiana that knocked the Hawkeyes out of the rankings for the first time this season, muscled up on defense, especially against the run. The Hawkeyes crowded the line to stop Hart, the Big Ten's second-leading rusher, and without Manningham, the Wolverines couldn't get deep. Hart was held to 27 yards on eight carries in the first half, but the relentless 5-foot-9, 196 pounder appeared to get stronger as the game wore on Michigan needed it.
Iowa's Mike Humpal intercepted a pass that Chad Henne forced into a crowd on the first possession of the second half at the Michigan 27, and it set up Kyle Schlicher's 34-yard field goal to tie it at 3. Steve Breaston responded for Michigan, finding a seam in the middle and returning the ensuing kickoff 64 yards to the Iowa 35. The Wolverines took advantage of the short field, with Hart running through tacklers, his legs churning and knees chugging, on a 9-yard touchdown run that made it 10-3.
After Iowa got a 22-yard field goal from Schlicher to make it 10-6 with 2:11 left in the third quarter, Michigan went back to Hart.
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