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Greg McElroy previews ‘dangerous’ matchup in Michigan vs. Iowa showdown
By Michael Daly
Published:
Greg McElroy gave his thoughts on a potentially “dangerous” matchup for Michigan in Week 5.
Michigan could be on upset alert on the road at Iowa. Michigan has not won a game at Kinnick Stadium in 17 years and there are high stakes to play for in each game. As the No. 4 team in the country, Michigan has looked impressive to start the season. In Week 4, Michigan held off Maryland at home.
This week’s game will show Michigan’s ability to go on the road and beat a tough Iowa team. It will be easier said than done for Michigan. On the latest episode of “Always College Football,” ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy outlined what to expect from Michigan:
“Here’s what we know: we know Michigan’s offensive is pretty good and Blake Corum’s the real deal,” McElroy said. “I’m not that concerned about their offensive firepower and ability to run the ball.”
For the most part, McElroy was impressed with what he saw from Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy. He noticed a few parts of McCarthy’s game that need to be cleaned up:
“I counted 3 inaccurate downfield passes that he missed that they’re gonna have to connect on against quality competition moving forward. There were also some times where he took a lot of time in the pocket, maybe a little uncomfortable… Missed throws and fumbles are massive momentum swingers on the road.”
Being on the road could be a factor for Michigan’s offense and McElroy wanted to see more from Michigan’s defense. He was skeptical of how the defense looked against Maryland:
“I was not super impressed by what I saw from Michigan’s rush defense (against Maryland). The other thing I was a little concerned about against Michigan was the lack of a consistent pass rush,” McElroy said. “This is a dangerous game. Everyone’s making fun of Iowa’s offense, fine, be careful.”
Iowa pulled off a 27-10 road win over Rutgers in Week 4. The Hawkeyes are starting to improve heading into this week’s matchup against Michigan. It will be a game to pay close attention to.