FACTS & STATS: Site: Kinnick Stadium (70,585) -- Iowa City, Iowa. Television: ABC. Home Record: Michigan 3-2, Iowa 4-0. Away Record: Michigan 1-1, Iowa 1-2. Neutral Record: Michigan 0-0, Iowa 0-0. Conference Record: Michigan 2-2, Iowa 3-1. Series Record: Michigan leads, 38-10-4.

GAME NOTES: Two teams hoping to keep pace in the race for the Big Ten title meet in Iowa City this Saturday, as the Michigan Wolverines tangle with the Iowa Hawkeyes. The euphoria from last week's thrilling 27-25 come-from-behind win over No. 8 Penn State in Ann Arbor is still lingering as Lloyd Carr's Wolverines look forward to this clash with the Hawkeyes, a team they have beaten in eight of the last 10 meetings. Overall, Michigan leads the all-time series by a 38-10-4 count and a win here will give Carr 100 career victories in this his 11th season at the helm in Ann Arbor. As for Kirk Ferentz and his Iowa Hawkeyes, they find themselves in a three-way tie for first place in the Big Ten with both Penn State and Wisconsin, and they have won three straight games since suffering a 31-6 setback at Ohio State in the conference opener back on September 24th. Iowa is undefeated at home this season (4-0), and owns a school-record 22-game home winning streak coming into this contest (the third-longest active streak in the nation). In last year's bout with Iowa, the Maize and Blue prevailed 30-17 in Ann Arbor, giving the Wolverines their 23rd consecutive conference-opening victory. That streak was snapped this season with a 23-20 loss at Wisconsin on September 24th.

Despite some obvious talent, the Michigan offense hasn't exactly been what anyone would consider overly impressive through the first seven games. Sure there have been moments of brilliance, but all-in-all, hardly the stuff Wolverine fans have grown accustomed to in years past. Quarterback Chad Henne and RB Mike Hart have done their part to help get the unit moving, but averages of 225 ypg through the air and 169 ypg on the ground have the Wolverines ranked as an average Big Ten club at best. In fact, their scoring average of 28.4 ppg ranks ninth in the 11-team conference. Big plays have been few and far between for the UM offense this season, but in last week's thriller versus Penn State, the Wolverines made their share, including an improbable TD pass from Henne to freshman Mario Manningham (the second time that day they connected on a scoring strike) with one second on the clock to give Michigan the win. Henne wound up 21-of-35 for 212 yards and two TDs, while Hart tallied 108 yards and a score on 23 carries. Jason Avant led the UM receiving corps with eight grabs for 75 yards. Just past the midway point of the season, Henne has hit the mark on 56.6 percent of his throws with 13 TDs against only three INTs, with Avant clearly the team's leading receiver with 53 grabs for 662 yards and five TDs. Manningham has also reeled in five scoring passes, a stat made that much more impressive when you consider he has just 16 receptions on the year. Hart has churned out 556 yards and four TDs in just five games.

The Michigan defense stood tall in the first half of last week's win over Penn State, holding the Nittany Lions scoreless. Unfortunately, the Wolverines didn't enjoy nearly the same level of success in the closing two quarters, giving up 25 points, including 22 in the final stanza. PSU wound up with 420 total yards, but suffered two turnovers and converted just 5-of-14 third-down opportunities. David Harris led the UM stance with 10 tackles and one forced fumble, while LaMarr Woodley registered four TFLs, including a sack. Prescott Burgess finished with eight tackles, one forced fumble and one PBU. On the season, the Wolverines have been pretty stingy when it comes to yielding both points (19.4 ppg) and passing yards (180.9 ypg) -- that latter figure ranking the squad first in the Big Ten and 18th nationally. Defending the run hasn't been nearly as favorable, with foes generating 155.4 ypg, scoring nine TDs along the way. Turnovers have played an important role in the Wolverines' overall success this season, as they have come up with 14 takeaways (second- most in the league), and their +6 turnover margin is tied with Northwestern for the Big Ten's top mark. Grant Mason and David Harris are the team's top two tacklers at the moment, posting 57 and 54 stops, respectively. Woodley leads the Big Ten in TFLs with 14, five of which have been sacks.

Much like Michigan, Iowa is at best an average offensive team, at least by Big Ten standards. The Hawkeyes are putting up 31.0 ppg, doing so behind 408.1 ypg, of which the distribution is pretty even (182.1 ypg rushing, 226.0 ypg passing). The team has capitalized on its opportunities however, scoring on 23-of-24 trips to the red zone, ranking first in the conference in that area. Iowa is the least penalized team in the league (20 through seven games), but ranks dead last in average time of possession (26:24). In last week's win over Indiana, QB Drew Tate completed half of his 24 pass attempts, doing so for 265 yards and two TDs. Solomon Clinton, who has 20 catches for 434 yards and six TDs this year, caught three balls for 79 yards, 42 of which came on a third- quarter scoring strike from Tate. Scott Chandler, the team's leading receiver with 21 grabs, hauled in four passes for 87 yards. Albert Young handled the rushing duties, finishing with 125 yards and two TDs on 26 carries. Young currently ranks fourth in the conference with 715 yards and he has scored five TDs. He is averaging 5.9 ypc and better than 102 ypg. Meanwhile, Tate is hitting the mark on 63.1 percent of his throws for 192.3 ypg with 11 TDs and only three INTs.

The Hawkeyes boast the Big Ten's top tackler, as well as its fourth-leading defender, in LBs Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge. Greenway has logged an incredible 93 stops to this point, averaging more than 13 tackles per contest. As for Hodge, he has made 80 stops and the two have combined for 107 solo tackles. Even with those two plugging up holes and making plays all over the field, the Iowa defense has shown some areas of weakness, most notably against the pass (238.9 ypg). The Hawkeyes, who are tied for second in the conference in scoring defense (17.1 ppg), have also come up small on third down, allowing the opposition to convert a league-worst 45.8 percent of the time. However, the defense has really turned it up when the enemy reaches the red zone, relenting just 61.9 percent of the time (the top mark in the Big Ten). Last week, Indiana managed 446 yards of total offense, the bulk of which came through the air (360 yards). The Hoosiers held the ball for more than 40 minutes and made good on 15-of-26 third down tries. Still, they were limited to just 21 points, scoring a single TD in the second, third and fourth quarters, respectively. Hodge led four UI players in double figures with regard to tackles in the game, collecting 18 on the day. Jovon Johnson tallied 17, Greenway had 14 and Adam Shada finished with 13. Bryan Mattison and Matt Kroul both put forth solid efforts as well, posting nine stops apiece.

Getting off to a fast start, particularly at home, has been Iowa's strength this season, as the Hawkeyes are outscoring their opponents 70-0 in the first quarter in the four games played at Kinnick Stadium. That said, Michigan is hoping that its recent win over Penn State will serve as a springboard and catapult the team to its first two-game win streak of the season.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Michigan 27, Iowa 24