Michigan football fans won't soon forget what they saw at the Big House on Saturday.
The Wolverines, in a battle of top-25 teams against Iowa, seemingly did everything possible to give away a game they should have won.
The 20-19 loss will prove costly. It makes reaching the College Football Playoff seem nearly impossible. Michigan would need to win two out of three games against Oregon, Indiana, and Ohio State to have a chance.
This was the definition of giving a game away, and here were the five most infuriating moments from Michigan's 20-19 loss to Iowa.
Kickoff return for a touchdown
At the end of the game, Michigan kicked the ball out of the end zone. If that had happened after the first touchdown of the game, instead of allowing a 99-yard kickoff return, it would have been a completely different game.
Iowa didn't score offensively until the fourth quarter. If the Wolverines don't allow that kickoff return, then they play much of, if not the entire game, with a two-score lead.
4th-and-1
I'm not sure why coaches feel the need to go heavy in short yardage. Spread out the defense, give Bryce Underwood a lead blocker, and dare them to stop your 6-foot-4, 228-pound quarterback.
Michigan didn't do that. It went heavy. Bryce tried to sneak the ball over the top. He was stopped short, and Michigan passed up a makeable field goal to extend the lead. In hindsight, points on that drive or when Underwood threw the red-zone interception would have won the game.
The leap wasn't even close. It was a bad decision once again — poor coaching. Underwood should know exactly what to do in that situation. He didn't.
Playing not to lose
After Iowa missed a field goal with just over two minutes left, Michigan needed essentially one or two first downs to clinch the game. Instead, the Wolverines went three-and-out after three straight runs to Savion Hiter.
Michigan faced a third-and-five, just outside the two-minute warning. Throwing the ball would have risked giving Iowa more time, but a first down essentially ends the game. Underwood was 17/28 for 278 yards. Iowa could not cover Michigan's wide receivers.
There was no reason to turtle the way Jason Beck did at the end of the game, surely with the blessing of Kyle Whittingham.
Underwood looked like a five-star prospect against Iowa, yet the coaching staff didn't even let him attempt to win the game at the end.
The tipped ball and dropped interceptions
The fact that Iowa caught deflected passes on each of its fourth-quarter touchdown drives was infuriating. Frankly, it was just dumb luck.
Michigan defenders had plenty of chances to end the game, though. Chris Bracy had an interception fall right into his lap and dropped it. Not that it was an easy play to make.
There were other opportunities, but even beyond the two tipped balls that were caught by Iowa, Michigan got its hands on the ball a lot. The Wolverines just couldn't seal the deal.
The Zeke Berry penalty
As frustrating as all of those things were, Michigan football still beats Iowa if Zeke Berry doesn't shove Tony Diaz out of bounds after an incompletion.
Should the penalty have been called? It was pretty weak for the last two minutes of a game, but don't make contact and extend your arms as Berry did. He made it easy for the official.
It was a colossal mistake. People have pointed to the Shawn Crable penalty against Ohio State. That was costly, no doubt. However, that was a hustle play. He was chasing Troy Smith and Michigan trailed by 18 points in that game.
Outside of the kickoff return, Michigan dominated this game for three quarters. It outgained Iowa by 160 yards, but lost because of stupid mistakes like the Berry penalty, as well as playing not to lose.
Add it all up and you get one of the most infuriating losses in Michigan history.
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