Michigan Football: 3 losses that still haunt Jim Harbaugh, Wolverines

Another nightmarish evening in Iowa

Over the years, Iowa City has never been very kind to Michigan football and back in 2016, it proved to be a nightmare once again the Wolverines.

Michigan traveled into Kinnick Stadium boasting a 9-0 record. The Wolverines were also the second-ranked team in the country and right in the thick of the race for the College Football Playoff and the Big Ten championship.

The Wolverines jumped out to a 10-0 lead after Ty Isaac scored a second-quarter touchdown, but two turnovers and an offense that managed only 203 yards doomed UM.

Michigan failed to convert a fourth down late in the game that would have allowed the Wolverines to run out the clock and in the closing seconds, the Hawkeyes drilled a field goal that gave Michigan a gut-wrenching 14-13 loss.

The defeat was particularly painful because it may have ended up costing the Wolverines a shot in the playoff. Michigan ended up ranked sixth in the final poll and that was following an overtime loss to Ohio State, which got a berth despite not winning the Big Ten.

It’s hard to know if the Wolverines would have made it over Washington or Penn State, but since the only other loss was a screw job at Ohio State, Michigan football may have eeked in. But, thanks to the upset loss, we will never know.