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Michigan Football: Wolverines playing Iowa is all about TV

By Chris Peterson

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 05: Zach Charbonnet #24 of the Michigan Wolverines scores a first quarter touchdown past Jack Koerner #28 and Michael Ojemudia #11 of the Iowa Hawkeyes of the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 05: Zach Charbonnet #24 of the Michigan Wolverines scores a first quarter touchdown past Jack Koerner #28 and Michael Ojemudia #11 of the Iowa Hawkeyes of the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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There is one reason and one reason only that Michigan football is going to play Iowa Saturday night and that’s TV ratings.

Just when you thought that the Michigan football season was over, you thought wrong, as the Wolverines announced they would be back in action Saturday night at Iowa.

If you are wondering why the Big Ten abandoned it’s plan for No. 2 vs No. 2 and so on after the championship game during its so-called “champions week” it’s not about rivalry games, it’s all about TV ratings and dollar signs.

The Big Ten will point out that Indiana and Purdue, two crossover rivals didn’t get to play their game this season and it made sense for them to play instead of matching the Hoosiers, the second-place team in the Big Ten East, against Iowa, No. 2 in the Big Ten West.

But let’s say we buy the argument that this is about rivalry games, since Minnesota and Wisconsin are also playing this week, it’s still worth asking why Michigan football is playing Iowa?

https://twitter.com/B1Gfootball/status/1338197077961154569

Maryland is actually third in the Big Ten East standings and Penn State has won three games in a row. Even Rutgers has more wins in Big Ten play than the Wolverines.

Penn State and Iowa would have made sense and that would have left Michigan to play Illinois, which also would have made sense.

Instead, the Big Ten, shockingly, didn’t stick to what it said and set up a game Saturday night that will get TV ratings regardless of how uncompetitive it turns out to be.

Iowa is going to be ranked in the top 15 and honestly, it might be good enough to get consideration for a New Year’s Six Bowl game. The Hawkeyes have won seven in a row and just beat Wisconsin 28-7 at home, not to mention what they did to Michigan State in Iowa City.

That should worry you as a Michigan football fan, especially if Cade McNamara or Joe Milton aren’t able to play and the Wolverines are forced to start a three-star true freshman at quarterback.

But win or lose, people will watch because it’s Michigan and Iowa and Jim Harbaugh.

The Michigan-Ohio State is usually the most-watched game of the year for the Big Ten and while this won’t make up for that, it’s the only reason its being played. Other than that, it makes no sense.

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The good news, I guess is that at least it will be played after early signing day.

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